Farida Amrani, Member of Parliament for Essonne and Vice-President of the France–Morocco Friendship Group, was intercepted by the Israeli navy in the early hours of October 8, 2025, while sailing in international waters. She was aboard the humanitarian flotilla «Thousand Madleens», which was headed to the Gaza Strip. The French-Moroccan lawmaker from La France Insoumise was among nearly 120 people of various nationalities detained across nine vessels. According to a statement received by Yabiladi, the humanitarian mission had departed from Catania, Sicily, carrying essential medical and food aid for Palestinian civilians in Gaza, a region under Israeli siege since October 7, 2023. The interception, which occurred more than 200 kilometers off the coast, was denounced by the same source as «a blatant violation of international law and a new infringement on freedom of navigation by the far-right Israeli government». Upon joining the flotilla on September 24, Amrani had warned French authorities about the potential risk of interception and requested diplomatic protection for French and dual nationals on board. The statement reiterates this appeal, calling for the immediate release of Farida Amrani and all flotilla participants, the return of the confiscated humanitarian aid, and guarantees for its safe delivery to Gaza. Before her departure, the MP had noted that «more than 50 ships with hundreds of participants from 45 countries, including many French and Moroccans from around the world», had joined the flotilla.
