The French government expels to Qatar a Gazan student who called for the execution of the hostages held by Hamas
The French government has announced the expulsion of Nour Attaalah, a 25-year-old student from Gaza, following accusations of antisemitic rhetoric and incitement to violence on social media. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau brought the case to light, citing a series of disturbing online posts made by Attaalah that glorified violence and expressed support for terrorist acts.
Attaalah had been admitted to France as part of a humanitarian evacuation initiative that brought 292 Gazan nationals to the country since March. She was enrolled at Sciences Po Lille, a prestigious university known for its emphasis on democratic values, diversity, and human rights. However, before her arrival, she reportedly posted content on social media that authorities deemed unacceptable and incompatible with French laws and societal values.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed that Attaalah had made “unacceptable statements” and could not be allowed to remain in France. On Sunday, she was deported to Qatar, where she will be permitted to continue her academic studies. “Given the gravity of the situation, France could not tolerate her presence. We thank the Qatari authorities for their decisive cooperation in this matter,” said Barrot.
Sciences Po Lille released a statement via X (formerly Twitter), condemning her posts and reiterating their institutional commitment to combat all forms of racism, antisemitism, and incitement to hatred. The school stated that her views were “in direct contradiction to the core values of the institution.”
According to reports, among Attaalah’s posts was a message published shortly after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, calling for the execution of hostages, specifying that it should be recorded in high quality and shared with Western universities and media.
French officials have emphasized that freedom of speech does not protect hate speech or incitement to violence, particularly in cases involving glorification of terrorism.
