Emmanuel Macron’s selfie diplomacy: Demands return of Gaza flotilla posers

French President Emmanuel Macron has requested to allow the return of the six French nationals "as soon as possible" after the "humanitarian" selfie yacht attempted to reach the Gaza Strip, which included the rebellious MEP Rima Hassan, was diverted by Israeli authorities, the Élysée reported.

"Immediately after the ship was intercepted, we requested to be able to exercise our consular protection towards them" and to "visit them" as soon as they reach Israeli territory, "to ensure their situation and facilitate their quick return to France," stated Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot in a statement sent to the press.

Six French nationals are on board this ship chartered by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a pro-Palestinian movement that emerged in 2010. Rima Hassan, the LFI MEP close to Jean-Luc Mélenchon, is the emblematic figure of the group. Around her are two journalists, Yanis Mhadi and Omar Faiad, who work respectively for the leftist online media Blast and the Al-Jazeera channel.

Several French activists are also part of the trip: Pascal Maurieras, a sailor affiliated with the CGT, Reva Viard, an anti-A69 environmental activist who spent 39 days up in a plane tree in 2024 to oppose its felling, and Baptiste André, described as a doctor.