Maldives: Three Arab divers hoist Palestinian flag underwater in show of solidarity
Three Arab divers — Morocco’s Mohammad Al-Idrissi, Lebanon’s Krysta, and Egypt-born Belgian Mostafa — raised a Palestinian flag beneath the waves during a shark-safety training session near Fuvahmulah, Maldives, in July 2026. The divers unfolded and held the flag for several minutes at depth, an image that has since circulated on social media and drawn…
Three Arab divers — Morocco’s Mohammad Al-Idrissi, Lebanon’s Krysta, and Egypt-born Belgian Mostafa — raised a Palestinian flag beneath the waves during a shark-safety training session near Fuvahmulah, Maldives, in July 2026. The divers unfolded and held the flag for several minutes at depth, an image that has since circulated on social media and drawn attention as a symbolic act of solidarity.
Al-Idrissi said the gesture was not part of an organized campaign but a spontaneous, meaningful expression that combined their shared passion for diving with support for the Palestinian people. “A Lebanese, an Egyptian and a Moroccan holding the Palestinian flag together underwater — that itself is the message,” he told reporters, adding the aim was humanitarian solidarity rather than a political protest.
Fuvahmulah is known internationally for shark diving and rich marine life. Conducting such an act underwater requires careful control of depth, currents and movement, underscoring the divers’ skill. Participants emphasized that their purpose was to raise awareness in a personal way, using what they love and do best. Social media responses framed the event as a symbol of cross-border Arab solidarity expressed through an unusual underwater setting.
