French left leader slams government silence over Israel's detention of MEP Rima Hassan

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of La France Insoumise (LFI) party, has condemned the "ineffectiveness and impotence" of the French government over its silence about the detention of French-Palestinian Member of European Parliament Rima Hassan and three other French citizens by Israeli forces.

Hassan was detained along with other members of the Madleen aid boat carrying international activists attempting to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Monday.

"By attacking the LFI, Macron's minister effectively signalled support for Netanyahu, who is illegally detaining Rima Hassan and three members of the Madleen crew," Melenchon said on social media.

"Fifty hours of detention of a European MP have passed without action or condemnation from Europe," he added, saying that the vessel was intercepted 100 nautical miles off the Palestinian coast, in international waters.

Baptiste Andre, a French doctor who returned on Tuesday, described "acts of mistreatment", including "sleep deprivation" and "difficulty accessing water and food." Journalist Omar Faiad, also released, reported physical threats against Hassan during detention.

Melenchon called for the Israeli ambassador in Paris to be summoned "to explain himself", and said public mobilisation remained the only available pressure point as protests demanding the release of the Madleen crew continue in Paris.