A French doctor aboard a Gaza-bound humanitarian boat intercepted by Israeli naval forces has accused Israeli authorities of mistreating passengers, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
The boat, Madleen, organised by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departed Italy on June 1 to deliver aid to Gaza. It was stopped by Israeli naval forces roughly 200 kilometres off the Gaza coast. Of the 12 people on board, four—including Thunberg—were deported after signing release documents, while eight others remain in Israeli custody pending a court hearing.
Dr. Baptiste André told reporters that while there were no acts of physical violence, he witnessed Israeli forces mocking and deliberately depriving passengers of sleep, in particular Thunberg, Politico reporter.
Speaking after returning to France, André also said Israeli authorities deliberately ridiculed passengers.
“As soon as someone would fall asleep, they played loud music and danced,” he told reporters, adding that access to food and water was restricted. “I don’t have the legal qualifications to specify what happened, but there were acts of mistreatment,” André said.
💬 “Il y a eu des actes de maltraitance”
Le médecin marseillais Baptiste André, membre de l’équipage du bateau pour Gaza, est revenu à Paris mardi soir et dénonce l’attitude des autorités israéliennes lors de leur interception #BFM2 pic.twitter.com/QJeiccIlVq
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) June 11, 2025
Thunberg, 22, told reporters at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris that Israel had “kidnapped us in international waters and taken us against our will to Israel,” calling it part of “a long list of violations.”
Israel’s government dismissed the mission as a “publicity stunt” and referred to the boat as a “selfie yacht,” arguing it violated the naval blockade imposed on Gaza.
