Greta's Gaza Flotilla Spews 165 Tons of Air Pollution: Study

Greta Thunberg's Gaza-bound flotilla belched more pollution than 200 airplane trips between Israel and the U.K., according to a new analysis.

The Swedish climate-turned-anti-Israel activist's Sumud Flotilla burned through more than 14,000 gallons of diesel during its five-week voyage from Spain to Gaza, according to a study by Volta Solar, a solar energy company based in Israel.

That fuel use, the study said, translated into 165 tons of air pollution — equal to the CO₂ emissions from 206 commercial flights between Tel Aviv and London.

"Over the course of five weeks of sailing, the almost 50 vessels in the flotilla consumed a total of about 53,600 liters of diesel," the study noted.

"This fuel consumption is equivalent to direct emissions of about 144 tons of carbon dioxide emitted from the engines alone."

Volta Solar's CEO Eran Tal blasted the hypocrisy of a supposed climate protest producing such massive environmental harm.

"It is not surprising that those who act hypocritically in the field of climate also chose the side of the forces of darkness and not the forces of light," Tal said.

The flotilla included nearly 50 vessels.

The study said that the worst offenders were the large motorized ships that ran almost entirely on diesel, while traditional sailboats had a lesser footprint when using their engines sparingly.

The study broke down the pollution in terms others may more easily understand.

The emissions were equal to what 82 family cars produce in a year.

Each car emits roughly 2 tons of CO₂ annually, and the flotilla churned out about 165 tons in a matter of weeks.

It also calculated how much greenery would be needed to absorb the damage: Between 6,600 and 16,500 trees would have to be planted just to offset the flotilla's emissions.

But the damage didn't stop in the air.

According to Volta Solar, about 30% of the CO₂ produced will end up absorbed by the sea — an estimated 50 tons.

That absorption, they warned, drives acidification of the water, making it harder for corals, oysters, and krill to build skeletons and threatening the marine food chain.

The study concluded that Thunberg's highly publicized flotilla — billed as a stand for Gaza and against fossil fuels — in fact left behind a heavy carbon footprint and measurable ocean damage.

For a movement that preaches sustainability, critics say, the voyage looked less like a climate crusade and more like an environmental own goal.