French Doctor on the Madeleine Ship Exposes Fake “Deportation Pledge” Document
A French doctor and human rights activist,Baptiste André,a crew member of the Madelaine ship affiliated with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition,has detailed the violent and brutal detention he and his companions endured after the vessel was seized by the Israeli military. His account was reported by webangah News Agency, citing palestine’s Information Center.
Speaking to Al-Araby al-Jadeed after returning to Paris, André stated that the Madelaine, en route to Gaza to break the blockade, was attacked by occupying forces in international waters. zionist troops unlawfully confiscated the ship and forcibly transported its passengers to occupied territories, where they were held under extremely harsh conditions.
André recounted that at dawn last Monday, an Israeli commando unit of roughly 80 soldiers-supported by naval vessels-surrounded the Madelaine, over 100 nautical miles from occupied Palestine’s coastline. “We never crossed any borders; our ship was operating entirely within legal frameworks when it was seized,” he said. The forces violently took control of the vessel and confined crew members for 18 hours in lower cabins with minimal food or water until reaching Ashdod port.
The doctor described how soldiers locked cabin doors under constant surveillance before transferring detainees to a facility near Ben Gurion Airport. Crew members underwent invasive searches with police dogs and were later moved in sealed buses. “The treatment was brutal-we were deprived of sleep and food for extended periods without information about our location or detention timeline,” andré emphasized. Palestinian lawyers assigned to defend them also faced abuse from Israeli forces.
“False Confession” Document Exposed:
André revealed that Zionist authorities presented them with a so-called ”deportation pledge” document falsely stating they had illegally entered occupied Palestine. He categorically denied this: “We never entered occupied lands-we were abducted in international waters and forcibly taken there.” Eight fellow detainees from France, Germany, Turkey, and Brazil also refused to sign; they remain imprisoned near Ben Gurion Airport.
The activist urged France’s government to secure their release legally: “I call on President Emmanuel Macron to act immediately.” Separately, André highlighted rescuing four African migrants adrift at sea for five days after fleeing Libya’s coastguard; they were handed over to Greek authorities in critical condition.
EU Parliamentarian Condemns Violations:
A statement from French MEP Rima Hassan’s office-she was aboard the madelaine-denounced Israel’s actions as an unprecedented violation of international law: “[this] sets a perilous precedent for European democratic institutions.” It refuted Israel’s claims of humane treatment (“detainees endured hours without food/water on deck”) demanded EU sanctions against Israel until gaza’s blockade ends systematic rights abuses against civilians/international activists cease.
