French activists who took part in a Gaza-bound foreign aid flotilla accuse Israeli forces of abuse and torture. Published On 5 Jun 20265 Jun 2026French anti-terrorism prosecutors say they have opened a preliminary investigation into suspected “torture” and “war crimes” over Israel’s alleged mistreatment of French activists who took part in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last month.The probe was opened on Friday following a referral from the foreign ministry late last month, said the national counterterrorism prosecutor’s office (PNAT), after activists on the Global Sumud Flotilla accused Israeli authorities of severe mistreatment during their detention.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listIsrael abducted and detained some 430 activists from about 40 countries after intercepting them in international waters on May 18 as they made the latest in a string of attempts to break the blockade on Gaza, which the United Nations and human rights organisations say is illegal, describing it as a form of collective punishment.Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir attracted widespread condemnation after he posted a video mocking the flotilla activists while they were bound.France banned Ben-Gvir from entry and, like several other allies of Israel, summoned the Israeli ambassador over the incident.Several French activists described what they said was a violent and humiliating ordeal when eight of them returned to France on May 22.Two of the more than 30 French people who were on board the flotilla were still hospitalised in Turkiye, they told reporters.One returnee described a soldier groping and slapping her in a dark container, and being terrified that she would be raped. Advertisement Another recounted detained activists being put in what she called a “stress position”, on their knees with their foreheads on the ground for several hours, while the Israeli national anthem played on repeat.‘Most severe case of ill-treatment’ in a decadeSpeaking to Al Jazeera late last month, Suhad Bishara, legal director at Adalah, the Israeli legal centre for Palestinian rights, said that without accountability, Israel will continue to use violence …
