France Opens Probe Into Israel’s Treatment of Gaza Flotilla Activists

France has opened a preliminary investigation into suspected torture and war crimes after French activists accused Israeli authorities of abuse, sexual violence and humiliation during their detention following the interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

French anti-terrorism prosecutors said the probe was opened Friday after a referral from the Foreign Ministry, Al Jazeera reported. The investigation follows accounts from members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, whose vessels were boarded by Israeli commandos in international waters as they attempted to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver symbolic aid to the Palestinian enclave.

A string of countries, including France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Greece, Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands, have raised concerns over the treatment of their nationals. All international detainees have been released, according to flotilla organizers.

Organizers said about 420 people were detained; Al Jazeera reported the number as about 430 activists from roughly 40 countries. At least 67 detainees were taken to a hospital after their captivity, and 12 were ultimately hospitalized, flotilla organizers said.

The organizers said participants described Israeli forces firing “rubber” bullets at close range, using tasers on faces and upper bodies, and throwing stun grenades into groups. They also alleged detainees were forced into stress positions for hours, women had their hijabs forcibly removed, and some endured “humiliating strip searches, sexual taunting, groping and pulling of genitals and multiple counts of rape.” Allegations also included anal rape and “forcible penetration by a handgun.”

Several flotilla members had broken bones, organizers said. One captain, Arno Meys, suffered a punctured lung that prevented him from flying for at least a month. Another activist had a broken foot, and a third had a broken leg and was being monitored for possible internal bleeding and cardiac arrhythmia, according to organizers.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said last week that he had received reports of “sexual violence, exposure to the cold, beatings, and repeated humiliation of French nationals.” The alleged abuses were likely to constitute criminal offenses, he told France Inter radio Friday, according to Reuters.

Several French activists described their detention after returning home, Al Jazeera reported. One said a soldier groped and slapped her in a dark container and that she feared she would be raped. Another said activists were kept for hours on their knees with their foreheads on the ground while the Israeli national anthem played repeatedly. Two of more than 30 French participants were still hospitalized in Turkiye when eight returned to France, according to the report.

Israel has rejected the allegations. The Israel Defense Forces said its operations were meant to protect its “naval security blockade” of Gaza and said its orders require “respectful and appropriate treatment of flotilla participants.” The Israeli Prison Service “categorically” rejected allegations of abuse, including sexual abuse, and told AFP the accusations were “entirely without factual basis,” according to Al Jazeera.

The backlash intensified after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted video showing him taunting restrained flotilla members. Some were seen with their hands tied behind their backs, kneeling with their heads touching the floor. One standing person was pushed to the ground after shouting “Free Palestine.”

“It is unacceptable that these protesters, including many Italian citizens, should be subjected to treatment that violates human dignity,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said after the video emerged. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called Ben-Gvir’s treatment of flotilla members “monstrous” and said Israel’s charge d’affaires had been summoned.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose coalition relies on Ben-Gvir’s far-right Jewish Power party, said the minister’s actions were “not in line with Israel’s values or norms.” A spokesperson for Ben-Gvir declined to comment to NBC News.

The allegations come as the United Nations last week added Israel and Russia to a blacklist for sexual violence in conflict. The U.N. said it had verified sexual abuse of at least 31 Palestinian men, women and children from Gaza and the occupied West Bank from 2023 to 2025, while noting that Israel’s denial of access to detention sites limited its findings. Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, rejected the allegations and accused Secretary-General António Guterres of spreading “antisemitic lies.”