SHAH ALAM – Four Members of the European Parliament (MEP) for France remain in Israeli custody after the Israeli naval forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) in international waters.
The parliamentarians who were detained have begun a hunger strike in solidarity with Palestinians living under siege in Gaza.
The four French lawmakers were Rima Hassan, Emma Fourreau, François Piquemal and Marie Mesmeur.
All of them were affiliated with France Unbowed, a left-wing party that has consistently spoken out against Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
Prominent flotilla participants among those detained by Israeli forces
Hassan, a human rights lawyer and vocal critic of Israeli policies, was reportedly seen throwing her phone into the sea as Israeli forces boarded the Marinette, the last active vessel of the flotilla.
She had earlier been barred entry to Israel during a European Parliament delegation due to her support for boycotts of the state.
Fourreau is a climate and marine activist. She was detained in July during a previous convoy attempting to break the blockade of Gaza. She staged a hunger strike to protest her treatment.
In August, she was briefly investigated in France for alleged “apology of terrorism” following remarks on Palestine.
Mesmeur, a sociologist and activist, has likewise joined fellow flotilla activists in refusing food, while François Piquemal, a French national deputy has been confirmed as part of the group transferred into Israeli custody.
Hunger strike widens
According to reports by international news outlets, 42 of the activists illegally arrested by Israel were now on hunger strike.
“As famine spreads in the Gaza Strip and 95 per cent of farmland lies destroyed, dozens of GSF volunteers remain imprisoned, refusing to be fed by the same regime enforcing starvation on Palestinians,” read a statement by the Global Sumud Flotilla.
French media also reported that France Unbowed confirmed the hunger strike on Saturday.
Fellow France Unbowed MEP Manon Aubry told Franceinfo radio that the flotilla participants were being held in difficult conditions, with more than 10 people crammed into each cell and only limited access to clean water.
Meanwhile, Malaysian detainees described degrading conditions.
Singer and actress Hazwani Helmi told AP that many were forced to drink toilet water, alleging Israeli soldiers “rejoiced” at their suffering. Her sister, Heliza Helmi said she was unable to eat for two days.
Interception in international waters
The Marinette was intercepted on Friday after a two-day Israeli operation targeting the humanitarian convoy. The GSF, comprising more than 40 boats carrying medical supplies, food and aid workers from over 50 countries, had set sail in late August to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
Israeli forces have so far detained over 450 people, including parliamentarians, aid workers and activists. Organisers said 137 detainees had since been released, while 313 remained in custody.
Reports from released activists detailed overcrowding, denial of medication and intimidation by prison staff.
France criticised for muted response
The detention of elected officials has sparked criticism of the French government’s muted response.
President Emmanuel Macron has yet to issue a public statement demanding their release.
France Unbowed officials have condemned what they called government inaction.
Aubry urged Paris to “finally take action” to repatriate the flotilla participants, while party coordinator Manuel Bompard insisted that “France must finally say something.”
Party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon denounced what he called “the cowards of the French government”, writing on X: “Deputies are ignored by their assemblies. Let us all remember this.”
By contrast, Malaysia reacted swiftly to the detention of its citizens.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim condemned the interception, describing it as “a show of intimidation and coercion against a mission intended to deliver life-saving supplies.”
“The safety and dignity of our people are paramount. As long as the Palestinian people are denied their fundamental rights and aspirations, Malaysia will stand unflinchingly with them. We will not relent in demanding an end to the injustice and dispossession that have plagued Palestine for generations,” he added.
Calls for accountability
The raid has drawn sharp criticism from many, who argue that Israel’s interception in international waters raised serious breaches of maritime law.
For the parliamentarians under Israeli detention, the hunger strike was not only a protest against their captivity but also a symbolic act of solidarity with Palestinians facing hunger and siege.
Their supporters cautioned, however, that without immediate diplomatic pressure, their health and safety remained at grave risk.
The human toll in Gaza continued to mount. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that since Oct 7, 2023, at least 66,288 Palestinians have been killed and 169,165 injured, with entire families erased and neighbourhoods levelled.
Schools, hospitals, water systems and infrastructure lie in ruins, while severe restrictions on aid have caused deaths by hunger, disease and collapse of basic social services.