Israel deports six Gaza aid activists after detention

Two still in Israeli custody

Israel has deported six of the eight international activists who were detained after their boat, the Madleen, was intercepted while attempting to breach the naval blockade on Gaza.

The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed the deportations on Thursday, June 12, 2025, with the remaining two activists scheduled to be expelled on Friday, according to the BBC.

According to Adalah, an Israeli human rights organization that provided legal assistance to the detainees, the activists had been held for more than 72 hours.

This followed what they described as an “unlawful” interception in international waters.

The Madleen was part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), aiming to symbolically deliver aid to Gaza and draw global attention to the humanitarian crisis resulting from Israel’s ongoing blockade.

Among those deported was Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament.

The Israeli foreign ministry announced her departure in a post on X (formerly Twitter), referring to the Madleen as a “selfie yacht” and quipping: “Bye-bye—and don’t forget to take a selfie before you leave.”

The ministry also posted images of the activists boarding a plane.

A post from Hassan’s account confirmed her release from custody and invited supporters to gather at Paris’ Place de la République later that evening.

Adalah named the other five deported activists as Mark van Rennes (Netherlands), Suayb Ordu (Turkey), Yasemin Acar (Germany), Thiago Avila (Brazil), and Reva Viard (France).

The two still in custody, Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi, both French nationals, are being held at Givon prison and are expected to be deported on Friday.

In a public statement, Adalah accused Israeli authorities of mistreating the detainees during their time in custody.

The group alleged that some volunteers were subjected to punitive measures, physical aggression, and in two cases, solitary confinement.

The organization condemned the arrests and deportations as violations of international law, calling for the immediate release and safe return of all eight individuals.

Israel’s foreign ministry had earlier stated that those who refused to sign deportation papers would face legal proceedings under Israeli law.

The group of 12 activists, including the now-released detainees, was intercepted about 185 kilometers (115 miles) west of Gaza.

Four of them, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and two other French nationals, had accepted immediate deportation earlier in the week.

Upon returning to France, Thunberg accused Israel of abducting her and other activists while they were sailing in international waters.

The FFC described the mission as a peaceful effort to deliver essential supplies, such as baby formula and medicine, to Gaza, amid dire humanitarian conditions.

However, Israeli authorities dismissed the mission, claiming the aid amounted to less than a single truckload and insisting it would be rerouted through “legitimate” humanitarian channels.

Israel maintains that attempts to breach its naval blockade are illegal and dangerous.

It asserts that such actions interfere with coordinated relief efforts and could be exploited by armed groups.

Despite this, the blockade and ongoing military campaign have come under mounting international scrutiny.

Israel halted all aid and commercial deliveries to Gaza on 2 March, before resuming military operations two weeks later, effectively ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas.

Israel said the aim was to pressure the group into releasing remaining hostages taken during the 7 October 2023 attack, which killed around 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 taken captive.

Since then, the conflict has escalated dramatically.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports that over 55,200 people have been killed since the war began.

Three weeks ago, Israel launched an expanded military offensive across Gaza and partially relaxed the blockade to allow in minimal food supplies.

Israel now favors distributing aid via the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a mechanism supported by both Israel and the United States.

However, the UN and other major humanitarian organizations have rejected this system, arguing that it undermines principles of neutrality, independence, and impartiality.

The ongoing crisis has drawn global concern, especially as food shortages and civilian casualties mount in Gaza.

Calls for greater humanitarian access and accountability continue to grow, even as activists seeking to challenge the blockade face detention and deportation.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook