European Parliamentarian Rima Hassan and climate activist Greta Thunberg were among the 12-member crew aboard the Gaza-bound humanitarian ship "kidnapped" by Israeli commandos in international waters early Monday.
The vessel Madleen, a British-flagged yacht operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was reportedly stopped around 2 am. Ms Hassan shared a photo from the yacht showing people in life jackets, seated with their hands raised as Israeli forces boarded the ship.
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg Thunberg said in a video recorded before the raid that she and others had been "kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces."
The Freedom Flotilla was carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza, aiming to challenge Israel's over 12-week-long naval blockade on the strip.
Who Is Rima Hassan?
- Rima Hassan is a European Parliamentarian, elected on the France Insoumise (LFI) ticket in the 2024 June elections. She is the first French-Palestinian MEP in history.
- She is a 32-year-old legal scholar and human rights activist.
- She serves as a member of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Subcommittee on Human Rights, and the Delegation for Relations with Palestine.
- Born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria in 1992, Ms Hassan grew up without official nationality until she became a French citizen in 2010 at age 18.
- She quickly rose to prominence as a vocal defender of Palestinian rights. She has accused Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza, referring to it as a "fascist colonial entity" and a "nameless monstrosity" that "lies every day."
- Often seen wearing a keffiyeh (Palestinian scarf), Ms Hassan gained support from pro-Palestinian groups. Since her election, she has been a leading voice in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and has become one of the most controversial figures in French politics.
- On February 27, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced she would be investigated for "terrorist apologism" due to her statements on Israel.
- Some members of France's centrist and far-right camps even called for stripping her of French citizenship, though these efforts were later walked back as legally baseless.
- Rima Hassan is often labelled "Lady Gaza", a nickname given by a comedian on public radio, who portrayed her as obsessively focused on Palestine.
