‘Selfie yacht’ jab backfires on 'Israel' as soldiers' posts resurface
Israeli Occupation’s attempt to discredit the humanitarian aid flotilla Madleen by calling it a “selfie yacht” has drawn sharp backlash online, with users accusing the government of hypocrisy and highlighting 'Israeli' soldiers’ own social media behavior during the ongoing war on Gaza.
'Israeli' Foreign Ministry had mocked the Madleen, a boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists and humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, by labeling it the “selfie yacht,” suggesting it was more of a photo opportunity than a serious mission.
The Israeli Navy is currently communicating with the “selfie yacht”. Using an international civilian communication system, the Israeli Navy has instructed the “selfie yacht” to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area. pic.twitter.com/KnSqWrsXU2
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 8, 2025
That jab quickly sparked a wave of posts pointing out the irony.
In one viral post on X, Assal Rad, a fellow at DAWN, responded with a photograph of 'Israeli' soldiers posing for a selfie in front of rubble in Gaza, captioned “selfie yacht.”
“Selfie yacht” https://t.co/6MSdETpzWf pic.twitter.com/b5AHlALqIL
— Assal Rad (@AssalRad) June 9, 2025
Mitchell Plitnick, president of ReThinking Foreign Policy, also weighed in, sharing similar images and asking, “The Israeli government calls the humanitarian flotilla, the Madleen ‘the selfie yacht’. So what do we call the Israeli army?”
The #Israeli government calls the humanitarian flotilla, the #Madleen "the selfie yacht."
— Mitchell Plitnick (@MJPlitnick) June 9, 2025
So what do we call the Israeli army? https://t.co/Q7l9HjifDh pic.twitter.com/T0wQJiy4TV
Since the start of the 'Israeli' ground invasion in late 2023, numerous photos and videos have emerged online showing 'Israeli' soldiers smiling, dancing, or making light of the destruction around them, often with Gaza’s ruins as the backdrop. Some clips even show soldiers mocking displaced Palestinians, further fueling outrage over the double standard.
Critics argue that Israeli Occupation’s attempt to delegitimize peaceful aid missions, while its own soldiers document themselves amid devastation, only reinforces perceptions of indifference and insensitivity toward Palestinian suffering.
As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, social media continues to be a battleground not just for narratives, but for the accountability many believe is sorely lacking.
