Malaysian influencer apologizes after throwing chocolates into the sea for children in Gaza

Influencer and activist Muhammad Hareez Adzrami, known as Haroqs, published an apology after receiving intense criticism for throwing chocolates into the sea during a humanitarian mission in Gaza. The video, released on Monday (May 18), generated a negative reaction from users who pointed out the risk of marine pollution caused by plastic candy packaging.

Haroqs was part of Flotilha Global Sumud (GSF) 2.0, an initiative that returned in 2025 with the aim of bringing humanitarian aid to Palestina. In the later deleted video, the 26-year-old Malaysian activist appeared removing chocolates from a transparent plastic bag and throwing the sweets into the ocean, with the hope that the waves would carry them to children on dry land.

Repercussão negative on social media

The original post was removed from Haroqs’s social media profile due to the volume of criticism it received. Usuários managed to save and reshare the content, expanding the scope of the controversy. The reactions focused mainly on two aspects: the environmental risk represented by plastic packaging and the questioning about the real effectiveness of the method adopted.

Internet users highlighted that plastic materials discarded in the ocean could harm marine life and contribute to the contamination of aquatic ecosystems. Além Furthermore, critics argued that chocolates were unlikely to reach their intended destination through this strategy.

Küresel Sumud Filosu’ndan Malezyalı aktivist Muhammed Hareez Adzrami, gemisi İsrail tarafından basılmadan önce, Gazzeli çocuklara dağıtmayı planladığı çikolata ve şekerleri Gazze’ye ulaşmaları için Akdeniz’e bıraktı.

📌İsraill yanlısı hesaplar görüntüyü ‘Aktivistler denizi… pic.twitter.com/eB1kOiOgzV

— TRHaber (@trhaber_com) May 19, 2026

Pedido apologizes on Threads network

In response to online pressure, Haroqs published a statement on the Threads social network acknowledging the concerns raised. In the post, which accumulated more than a thousand comments, the activist stated: “I apologize if my act of throwing chocolates into the sea was disrespectful and polluted marine life. Reconheço that I am a less intelligent human being, but I had no other choice to take my chocolate to Gaza’s children.”

The influencer continued his statement by arguing about the limitations of his options: “No matter how I do it, you may not be happy. If this is the only way to open your eyes and your mind to manifest, it seems like you are really waiting for my mistake. Só I hope Alá delivers this chocolate to Deus’s children.”

The post reflected the tension between the activist’s stated humanitarian intent and the environmental concerns raised by the online community.

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Divisão opinions among users

Reactions to Haroqs’s response revealed divergent positions. Alguns netizens considered that the activist was trying to justify a genuine mistake that affected the environment, arguing that more responsible methods should have been considered from the beginning. Esse group pointed to viable alternatives that would minimize ecological impact.

Outros users, in turn, relativized the criticism by stating that the gesture was well-intentioned and that concerns about pollution were secondary to a humanitarian mission. Esse segment emphasized the difficulty of operating in crisis contexts and the practical limitations faced by activists in the field.

Contexto by Flotilha Global Sumud

Flotilha Global Sumud represents an organized effort to send humanitarian aid to Palestina. The initiative returned in 2025 with the aim of highlighting the situation of Palestinian communities and mobilizing international solidarity. Integrantes and Haroqs use their social media platforms to amplify the visibility of such operations.

The influencer’s action took place in the context of operations that combine elements of public demonstration with humanitarian intentions. The strategy of throwing chocolates into the sea, although unusual, reflected an attempt to create impactful visual content capable of generating engagement and attention for the cause.

Análise from Activist Replies

Haroqs’s acknowledgment of being “a less intelligent human being” has generated varying interpretations. Para some, critical self-evaluation indicated genuine reflection on the mistake made. Para others, the phrase seemed defensive or was read as rhetorical subterfuge intended to disarm critics.

The invocation of religious aspects at the end of the statement (“I just hope that Alá delivers this chocolate to Deus’s children”) sought to reposition the incident in a sphere of spiritual intention, moving it away from the practical and environmental dimension that had generated the controversy.

The controversy illustrates the challenges faced by digital activists who use social media to promote humanitarian causes. The pressure for visually appealing content often comes into tension with ethical and environmental considerations, generating communication and public responsibility dilemmas that have no simple answers.