Six of eight activists aboard the Madleen Freedom Flotilla, intercepted by Israeli authorities while attempting to breach the Gaza blockade, have been deported, the Israeli foreign ministry confirms. The remaining two are slated for deportation on Friday.

According to Adalah, an Israeli human rights group providing legal counsel to the activists, the six were transferred to Ben Gurion Airport after over 72 hours in custody. Adalah alleges the interception occurred in international waters, characterizing it as unlawful.

Among those deported was Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament. The Israeli foreign ministry’s X post, featuring images of the activists boarding a plane, sarcastically wished them farewell. Hassan subsequently announced her release and plans to meet supporters in Paris.

The five other deported activists, as identified by Adalah, are Mark van Rennes (Netherlands), Suayb Ordu (Turkey), Yasemin Acar (Germany), Thiago Avila (Brazil), and Reva Viard (France). Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi, both French nationals, remain in Givon prison pending deportation.

Adalah reported mistreatment and punitive measures against the activists during detention, including solitary confinement for some. They are calling for the immediate and lawful release of all eight activists, condemning their detention and deportation as violations of international law.

The Israeli foreign ministry previously stated that those refusing to sign deportation documents would face judicial proceedings. The Madleen, carrying twelve individuals, was intercepted approximately 185km west of Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) organized the voyage, aiming to deliver symbolic aid to Gaza, challenging the blockade and highlighting the humanitarian crisis.

The Israeli foreign ministry previously dismissed the effort as a “selfie yacht” carrying minimal aid. Following the interception, four activists, including Greta Thunberg and two French nationals, were immediately deported. Thunberg subsequently accused Israeli authorities of kidnapping in international waters.

Israel’s foreign ministry maintains that attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous and unlawful, asserting that the aid will be delivered through established humanitarian channels. The blockade, tightened on March 2nd following the resumption of military operations, has severely impacted Gaza’s 2.1 million residents, causing widespread food shortages, according to the UN.

Despite a partial easing of the blockade, the UN and other aid groups reject Israel’s new distribution system via the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, citing concerns about neutrality and independence. The ongoing conflict, sparked by the October 7th, 2023 Hamas attack, has resulted in a devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with tens of thousands of casualties reported.

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The activists’ yacht, which was trying to carry aid to Gaza, was intercepted by Israeli forces in the early hours of Monday.

Six of eight activists aboard the Madleen Freedom Flotilla, intercepted by Israeli authorities en route to Gaza, have been deported, the Israeli foreign ministry confirmed. The Israeli human rights group, Adalah, reported the activists’ release after over 72 hours in custody, following the vessel’s interception in international waters. Adalah, providing legal counsel to the activists, stated that two remain in custody pending deportation on Friday.

Among those deported Thursday was Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament. The Israeli foreign ministry’s X post, featuring images of the activists boarding a plane, quipped, “Six more passengers from the ‘selfie yacht,’ including Rima Hassan, are on their way out of Israel. Bye-bye—and don’t forget to take a selfie before you leave.” Hassan subsequently announced her release on X, inviting followers to a Paris gathering.

Adalah identified the other deportees as Mark van Rennes (Netherlands), Suayb Ordu (Turkey), Yasemin Acar (Germany), Thiago Avila (Brazil), and Reva Viard (France). Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi, both French nationals, remain in Givon prison, awaiting Friday’s deportation. Adalah alleges the activists faced mistreatment, punitive measures, and solitary confinement, calling for their immediate and lawful release.

The Israeli foreign ministry previously stated that those refusing deportation would face legal proceedings. The Madleen, carrying twelve individuals, was intercepted approximately 185km west of Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) organized the expedition, intending to deliver symbolic aid to Gaza, defying Israel’s blockade and highlighting the humanitarian crisis. The Israeli ministry dismissed the effort as a “selfie yacht” carrying minimal aid.

Following the interception, four activists, including Greta Thunberg and two French nationals, were immediately deported. Upon arrival in France, Thunberg accused Israel of kidnapping the activists in international waters. Israel maintains that unauthorized attempts to breach the Gaza blockade are unlawful and undermine humanitarian efforts. The aid aboard the Madleen, including baby formula and medicine, will reportedly be channeled to Gaza through established humanitarian channels.

Israel’s blockade, tightened on March 2nd, followed the resumption of military operations after a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. The UN warned of catastrophic hunger in Gaza due to resulting food shortages. Following a broader offensive three weeks ago, Israel partially eased the blockade, primarily distributing aid through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a system rejected by the UN and other aid groups due to concerns over neutrality and impartiality. The situation unfolds against the backdrop of the October 7th, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent ongoing conflict.

The Gaza health ministry reports at least 55,207 deaths since the October 2023 conflict. The ongoing crisis continues to create significant humanitarian challenges.

Six of eight activists aboard the Madleen, a yacht intercepted en route to Gaza, have been deported from Israel, the Israeli foreign ministry confirmed. The Israeli human rights group, Adalah, reported the activists’ transfer to Ben Gurion Airport following over 72 hours in custody after their vessel’s interception in international waters. Adalah, providing legal counsel, stated two activists remain in custody, pending deportation on Friday.

Among those deported Thursday was Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament. The Israeli foreign ministry’s X post, featuring images of the activists boarding a plane, quipped, “Six more passengers from the ‘selfie yacht,’ including Rima Hassan, are on their way out of Israel. Bye-bye—and don’t forget to take a selfie before you leave.”

Adalah identified the other deportees as Mark van Rennes (Netherlands), Suayb Ordu (Turkey), Yasemin Acar (Germany), Thiago Avila (Brazil), and Reva Viard (France). Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi, both French nationals, remain in Givon prison, scheduled for deportation Friday. Adalah alleges the activists faced mistreatment, punitive measures, and solitary confinement, calling their detention unlawful and a violation of international law.

The Israeli foreign ministry previously stated those refusing deportation documents would face legal proceedings. The Madleen, carrying twelve individuals, was intercepted approximately 185km west of Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) organized the expedition, intending to deliver symbolic aid to Gaza, challenging the blockade and highlighting the humanitarian crisis. The Israeli foreign ministry dismissed the effort as a “selfie yacht” carrying minimal aid.

Following the interception, four activists, including Greta Thunberg and two French nationals, were immediately deported. Upon arriving in France, Thunberg accused Israel of kidnapping them in international waters. Israel maintains unauthorized attempts to breach the Gaza blockade are dangerous and unlawful, asserting that aid aboard the vessel will be channeled through established humanitarian routes.

Israel halted humanitarian and commercial supplies to Gaza on March 2nd, resuming its military offensive two weeks later, ending a two-month ceasefire. This action, intended to pressure Hamas for the release of hostages, resulted in critical food shortages affecting Gaza’s 2.1 million residents, as warned by the UN. Three weeks ago, Israel launched an expanded offensive and partially eased the blockade, allowing limited food supplies. Aid distribution is now prioritized through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by Israel and the US, a system rejected by the UN and other aid groups for violating humanitarian principles.

The situation follows Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, initiated 20 months ago in response to the October 7th, 2023 Hamas attack, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports at least 55,207 deaths since then.

Six of eight activists aboard the Madleen, a yacht intercepted en route to Gaza, have been deported from Israel, the Israeli foreign ministry confirmed. The Israeli human rights group, Adalah, reported the activists’ release after over 72 hours in custody, following what they termed the “unlawful interception” in international waters.

Adalah, providing legal counsel, stated two activists remain in custody, pending deportation on Friday. Among those deported Thursday was Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament.

The Israeli foreign ministry’s X post, featuring images of the activists boarding a plane, quipped: “Six more passengers from the ‘selfie yacht,’ including Rima Hassan, are on their way out of Israel. Bye-bye—and don’t forget to take a selfie before you leave.”

According to Adalah, the deported activists also included Mark van Rennes (Netherlands), Suayb Ordu (Turkey), Yasemin Acar (Germany), Thiago Avila (Brazil), and Reva Viard (France). Remaining in Givon prison, awaiting Friday’s deportation, are Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi, both French nationals.

Adalah alleges the activists faced “mistreatment, punitive measures, and aggressive treatment,” with two held in solitary confinement. They called for the immediate and safe release of the remaining detainees, denouncing their continued detention and deportation as unlawful and a violation of international law.

The Israeli foreign ministry previously stated that those refusing deportation documents would face legal proceedings. The Madleen, carrying twelve individuals, was intercepted approximately 185km west of Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) organized the mission, aiming to deliver symbolic aid to Gaza, defying the blockade and highlighting the humanitarian crisis.

The Israeli ministry dismissed the yacht as carrying minimal aid. Following the interception, four activists, including Greta Thunberg and two French nationals, were immediately deported. Upon arrival in France, Thunberg accused Israel of kidnapping in international waters.

Israel’s foreign ministry countered that attempts to breach the blockade were dangerous and unlawful, asserting that aid aboard the vessel would be channeled through official humanitarian routes. The blockade, imposed after the March 2nd cessation of aid and commercial supplies, exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, impacting its 2.1 million inhabitants.

Following a three-week offensive, Israel partially eased the blockade. Aid distribution now prioritizes the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, supported by Israel and the US, a system rejected by UN and other aid groups citing violations of humanitarian principles. The current situation stems from the October 7th, 2023, Hamas attack, which triggered a military campaign and subsequent humanitarian crisis.

The Hamas-run health ministry reports over 55,207 fatalities in Gaza since the October 7th attack. The ongoing conflict continues to impact the region significantly.

Asif William Rahman used top security clearance to print and circulate documents over several months.

One of the two hostages was Yair Yaakov, who was killed in the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, Benjamin Netanyahu says.

Five countries place travel bans on Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Israel also told the BBC a two-state solution was “an aspirational goal”.

The activists’ yacht, which was trying to carry aid to Gaza, was intercepted by Israeli forces in the early hours of Monday.

Six of eight activists aboard the Madleen, intercepted en route to Gaza, have been deported from Israel, the Israeli foreign ministry confirms. Following their detention for over 72 hours, the Israeli human rights group Adalah reported their transfer to Ben Gurion Airport.

Adalah, providing legal counsel, stated that two activists remain in custody, pending deportation on Friday. Among those deported Thursday was Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament.

The Israeli foreign ministry’s X post, accompanied by photos of the activists boarding a plane, quipped: “Six more passengers from the ‘selfie yacht,’ including Rima Hassan, are on their way out of Israel. Bye-bye—and don’t forget to take a selfie before you leave.”

Hassan subsequently announced her release on X, inviting supporters to a Paris gathering. The other deportees, according to Adalah, were Mark van Rennes (Netherlands), Suayb Ordu (Turkey), Yasemin Acar (Germany), Thiago Avila (Brazil), and Reva Viard (France).

Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi (both French) remain in Givon prison, awaiting deportation Friday. Adalah alleges the activists faced mistreatment, punitive measures, and solitary confinement, calling for their immediate, lawful release and safe return home.

The Israeli foreign ministry previously stated that those refusing deportation would face legal proceedings. The Madleen, carrying twelve individuals, was intercepted approximately 185km west of Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) organized the expedition, aiming to deliver symbolic aid to Gaza, challenging the blockade and highlighting the humanitarian crisis.

The Israeli ministry dismissed the voyage as a “selfie yacht” carrying minimal aid. Following the interception, four activists, including Greta Thunberg and two French nationals, were immediately deported. Upon arrival in France, Thunberg accused Israel of kidnapping in international waters.

Israel’s foreign ministry deemed the attempt to breach the blockade “dangerous, unlawful,” and detrimental to ongoing humanitarian efforts. The aid aboard, including baby formula and medicine, will be delivered via “real humanitarian channels,” according to the ministry.

Israel’s blockade, tightened on March 2nd following the resumption of military operations, has severely impacted Gaza’s 2.1 million residents, causing widespread food shortages. While Israel partially eased the blockade, the UN and other aid groups reject the new distribution system through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, citing concerns over impartiality and neutrality.

The situation unfolds amidst the ongoing conflict, 20 months after the October 7th, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, resulting in significant casualties on both sides. The prolonged conflict and resulting humanitarian crisis remain pressing concerns.

Asif William Rahman used top security clearance to print and circulate documents over several months.

One of the two hostages was Yair Yaakov, who was killed in the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, Benjamin Netanyahu says.

Five countries place travel bans on Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Israel also told the BBC a two-state solution was “an aspirational goal”.

The activists’ yacht, which was trying to carry aid to Gaza, was intercepted by Israeli forces in the early hours of Monday.

Six of eight activists aboard the Madleen Freedom Flotilla, intercepted by Israeli authorities while attempting to breach the Gaza blockade, have been deported, the Israeli foreign ministry confirmed. The Israeli human rights group, Adalah, reported the activists’ release after over 72 hours in custody, following what they termed the “unlawful interception in international waters.”

Adalah, providing legal counsel to the activists, stated that two remain in custody, pending deportation on Friday. Among those deported Thursday was Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament. The Israeli foreign ministry’s X post, accompanied by photos of the activists boarding a plane, quipped, “Six more passengers from the ‘selfie yacht,’ including Rima Hassan, are on their way out of Israel. Bye-bye—and don’t forget to take a selfie before you leave.”

According to Adalah, the other five deported activists were Mark van Rennes (Netherlands), Suayb Ordu (Turkey), Yasemin Acar (Germany), Thiago Avila (Brazil), and Reva Viard (France). Those remaining in Givon prison, Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi (both French), are expected to be deported Friday afternoon. Adalah alleges the activists faced “mistreatment, punitive measures, and aggressive treatment,” with two held in solitary confinement, calling for their immediate and lawful release.

The Israeli foreign ministry previously indicated that those refusing deportation documents would face legal proceedings. The Madleen, carrying twelve individuals, was intercepted approximately 185km west of Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) organized the expedition, aiming to deliver symbolic aid to Gaza, challenging the blockade and highlighting the humanitarian crisis. The Israeli foreign ministry dismissed the yacht as carrying “less than a single truckload of aid.”

Following the interception, four activists, including Greta Thunberg and two French nationals, were immediately deported. Upon arrival in France, Thunberg accused Israeli authorities of kidnapping in international waters. The Israeli foreign ministry countered that unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade were “dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts,” asserting that the aid would be transferred via “real humanitarian channels.”

Israel’s cessation of humanitarian and commercial supplies to Gaza on March 2nd, followed by a renewed military offensive, reversed a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. While Israel claimed this pressure tactic aimed to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza, the UN warned of catastrophic hunger levels among Gaza’s 2.1 million residents due to resulting food shortages. Following a broader offensive three weeks ago, Israel partially eased the blockade, permitting basic food supplies, prioritizing distribution through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by Israel and the US. The UN and other aid groups have refused to cooperate, citing violations of humanitarian principles.

The situation unfolds 20 months after Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, responding to the October 7th, 2023 Hamas cross-border attack, resulting in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports at least 55,207 deaths in Gaza since then.