Abdel Raouf Arnaout
13 May 2026•Update: 13 May 2026
Israel briefly detained and questioned a senior UN official at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv over his visit to the Gaza Strip last year, according to Israeli media.
The daily Yedioth Ahronoth said late Tuesday that UN Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security Gilles Michaud was held for around 45 minutes upon arrival at the airport.
Michaud was questioned by the Shin Bet internal security agency about an official visit he made to Gaza in August 2025, which had been coordinated with Israeli authorities.
The daily, citing Israeli officials, described the incident as a “case of mistaken identity,” saying Michaud, a Canadian citizen, was released shortly afterward.
According to the report, his passport was confiscated during security checks before he was transferred to a waiting area and interrogated over the Gaza visit.
Following the incident, Michaud said the treatment was “unusual” for a senior UN official and unlike anything he had experienced in other countries.
According to the daily, the UN official intended to cancel his official meetings in Israel after the incident, without providing further details about the duration or purpose of his visit.
The Gaza Strip has remained a major issue at the United Nations since Israel launched a deadly war on the enclave that has killed more than 72,000 people and injured over 172,000 others since October 2023.
Despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10, Israel has continued daily strikes and restrictions on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, according to Palestinian officials.
*Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul
