Update: Omar Faiad was deported to France on June 10, 2025. Details of his deportation and the imprisonment of both journalists are included in the 10th to 13th paragraphs.
New York, June 9, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Israeli authorities to immediately and unconditionally release two French journalists held among the crew of the Gaza-bound aid vessel Madleen, which was seized on Monday, and on world leaders to pressure Israel into stopping attacks on journalists.
The Madleen ship, which had on board climate activist Greta Thunberg and French member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan in addition to the two journalists, Yanis Mhamdi and Omar Faiad, was intercepted and seized by the Israeli forces, after which communication with the crew was completely cut off.
“Israeli authorities must immediately release the humanitarian crew of the Madleen ship, which includes two French journalists, heading to Gaza,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah. “EU leaders, including French authorities, should pressure Israel to release these journalists and stop all assaults on press freedom and protect journalists.”
The British-flagged yacht, which is operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, had aimed to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza later on Monday and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there.
Faiad, a correspondent with Al Jazeera Mubashar, was photographed waving his hands up while the Israeli forces were boarding the ship.
Mhamdi, a journalist with independent French media outlet Blast and a documentary filmmaker, posted on his X account as the ship was being intercepted, “I am a journalist, and after covering the Freedom Flotilla convoy for a week, my arrest by the Israeli army is imminent. Humanitarian workers and journalists should not be arrested. I call on all my colleagues to mobilize.”
A video of Mhamdi was circulated on social media less than an hour later in which he said, “If you are seeing this, I have been detained by the Israeli forces while performing my role as a journalist.”
Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, said all passengers will be transported to the port of Ashdod. The government has not yet clarified what it intends for the seized crew and the journalists who were aboard.
On June 10, the Israel Defense Forces’ North America Media Desk responded to CPJ’s email request for comment, saying that after ignoring several requests to avoid the area, the Madleen was diverted by the IDF within the enforcement zone of the blockade, “in accordance with international law.” The IDF did not respond to CPJ’s inquiries about the details of the journalists’ detention and when they and the crew might be released.
Faiad was deported to France on June 10, after being pressured to sign deportation papers stating he would be banned from entering Israel for 100 years.
Faiad told Al Jazeera Mubashar that the activists were locked in a room on the ship for about a day before being taken to a detention center. They weren’t allowed to rest, and those who didn’t agree to sign deportation papers were threatened by an Israeli officer, he said, adding that the French consul was not allowed to meet with French nationals in private.
Mhamdi, who is being held with the other detainees at Israel’s Ayalon prison in Ramla, sent CPJ a handwritten note through Nareman Shehadeh Zoabi, a lawyer from the Adalah human rights center, on June 11, saying: “Journalism is not a crime.”
Through his lawyer, Mhamdi also urged human rights and press freedom organizations to pressure Israel into releasing him and other activists, adding, “If we are not released, I will start a hunger strike.”
Editor’s note: The text was updated on June 10 with comment from the IDF.