Overview
- Israeli forces stopped a Gaza-bound activist flotilla in international waters on May 18 and detained more than 430 people from multiple countries.
- On June 5 France’s national anti-terror prosecutor (PNAT) opened a preliminary investigation into suspected torture and war crimes after a May 28 referral under Article 40.
- PNAT has entrusted the inquiry to OCLCH, the office that handles crimes against humanity and related offenses, to gather evidence and question witnesses.
- Flotilla organisers say several activists were hospitalised and at least 15 reported sexual assaults or rape during detention, while the Israeli prison service called the claims entirely without factual basis.
- The episode has already produced diplomatic fallout, including a French ban on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and other European states are collecting evidence that could lead to further legal or coordinated actions, set against long-standing disputes over Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.