French doctor accuses 'Israel' of abuse after Gaza flotilla hijack
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Madleen's crew were mocked, sleep-deprived, and denied food by Israeli agents after their aid boat to Gaza was seized.
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Activist Greta Thunberg answers reporters as she arrives from occupied Palestine to Charles de Gaulle airport, north of Paris, Tuesday, June 10, 2025 (AP)
A French doctor has accused Israeli authorities of mistreating passengers aboard the humanitarian aid boat Madleen, which was raided en route to Gaza with Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on board.
Speaking upon his return to France, Dr. Baptiste André said that while no physical violence occurred, passengers were subject to degrading treatment, including sleep deprivation and mockery, particularly directed at Thunberg.
According to André, Israeli agents deliberately prevented detainees from resting. "As soon as someone fell asleep, they would turn up the music and start dancing," he stated, describing the environment as psychologically coercive. He added that the passengers struggled to access food and water during their detention.
The Madleen, a vessel organized by the pro-Palestine Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departed from Italy on June 1 carrying humanitarian aid intended for civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip.
The boat was intercepted early Monday, approximately 200 kilometers off the coast of Gaza, by Israeli naval forces enforcing the ongoing blockade. Twelve passengers, including Thunberg and Dr. André, were detained and transferred to occupied territories.
According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, four activists, including Thunberg, signed deportation documents and were returned to their home countries by Tuesday evening. Among those still in custody is French Member of European Parliament Rima Hassan, who has previously been barred from entering “Israel” for her support of the Palestinian cause. The remaining detainees are awaiting court hearings.
Political fallout and calls for accountability
In a video posted on Monday, Thunberg said her group had been "intercepted and kidnapped" by the Israeli regime. She urged the Swedish government to pressure Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hold his administration accountable for the treatment of peaceful protesters and aid workers.
Thunberg showed that the voyage was a non-violent demonstration against the Israeli naval blockade and a response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Gaza Strip has endured relentless bombardment and siege, leaving civilians in desperate need of aid.
The Israeli government has dismissed the Freedom Flotilla’s mission, calling it a breach of its blockade. Officials described the vessel as a "selfie yacht" and accused the activists of staging a political stunt rather than providing genuine aid.
Despite these accusations, human rights advocates have defended the flotilla’s action, arguing that the delivery of aid and the symbolic challenge to the siege were both urgent and legitimate. “I don’t have the legal qualifications to specify what happened,” said André, “but there were acts of mistreatment.”
The incident has sparked renewed scrutiny of the Israeli occupation’s treatment of detainees and the legality of its maritime blockade, especially when enforced far beyond Gaza’s coastal waters.
