On Sunday night, moments before contact with the Madleen’s crew was lost, French journalist Yanis Mhamdi posted on his X account: “I am a journalist and my arrest by the Israeli army is imminent. I call on all journalists to mobilise.”

Shortly after the loss of contact with the vessel, the Israeli army confirmed it had “boarded” the Madleen, and the Israeli Minister of Defence posted on X: “I commend the military for the swift and safe takeover.”

The editorial team at Blast confirmed today that it still has no news of the crew.

Yanis Mhamdi and Al Jazeera journalist Omar Faiad had boarded the vessel on 1 June, the day of its departure, to document the initiative, organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which aims to break the maritime blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip, and draw international attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory.

“Boarding a civilian vessel in international waters to intercept a crew that included two French journalists documenting a peaceful humanitarian initiative is not only illegal, but constitutes a serious violation of international law and press freedom. RSF calls on the French authorities to act without delay to secure their location and release, and urges the international community to firmly condemn this latest attack on journalism.

Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, the Israeli army has killed over 200 Palestinian journalists, at least 45 of whom were slain while working. What’s more, Israel has imposed a total blockade on the besieged Strip, prohibiting the entry of all foreign journalists. RSF, together with over 150 media outlets and organisations, issued yet another call for increased pressure on the Netanyahu government to open Gaza to the foreign press and to ensure Palestinian journalists are protected. The NGO has also filed four complaints for war crimes against journalists in Gaza with the International Criminal Court, continues to advocate for their recognition as victims in ongoing international legal proceedings, and calls for the protection of Palestinian journalists. RSF also provides aid to Palestinian reporters on the ground, particularly in Gaza, through partnerships with local organisations such as ARIJ (Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism).