This morning, Israeli authorities captured the aid boat Madleen, halting its mission to Gaza. Just hours before it was intercepted we spoke to Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who was aboard the vessel.

Early this morning, activists aboard the Madleen announced that their aid boat had been intercepted by Israeli forces and the passengers “kidnapped.” While the British-flagged vessel, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FCC), seeks to draw attention to Gazans’ suffering, Israeli authorities have repeatedly sought to delegitimize the activists’ intentions and referred to the boat as a “selfie yacht” carrying “celebrities.”

They now claim that the passengers will be sent back to their home countries, but not before, as hard-line defense minister Israel Katz an

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