A major diplomatic crisis erupted on Wednesday after Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, released footage showing detained international activists being humiliated by Israeli security forces following the interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
The video, which quickly spread online, triggered condemnation from governments across Europe and beyond, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Italy, and South Korea. Several countries reportedly delivered formal protests directly to Israeli officials.
The footage showed dozens of activists kneeling in rows with their hands zip-tied behind their backs and their foreheads pressed to the ground. Ben-Gvir appeared in the video waving an Israeli flag and taunting detainees, shouting nationalist slogans toward one restrained activist.
The flotilla, organised by pro-Palestinian campaigners, involved more than 400 activists from 40 countries travelling aboard 50 vessels carrying humanitarian aid intended for Gaza. Israeli naval forces intercepted the convoy in international waters on Tuesday before towing the ships to Israel.
International outrage intensified after the publication of the video. Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, described the treatment of detainees as “unacceptable” and demanded the immediate release of Italian citizens held by Israeli authorities.
“It is inadmissible that these demonstrators are subjected to treatment that violates human dignity,” Meloni said in a statement, accusing Israel of showing “total contempt” toward allied governments.
Spain’s foreign minister condemned the scenes as “monstrous, disgraceful and inhumane,” while Britain’s Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said she was “truly appalled” by the images and confirmed she had been in contact with families of British nationals detained during the operation.
Even some of Israel’s closest allies reacted sharply. US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, called Ben-Gvir’s conduct “despicable,” saying the minister had “betrayed the dignity of his nation.”
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung also criticised the operation, questioning the legality of detaining activists in international waters and calling Israel’s actions “way out of line.”
The backlash prompted a swift response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who publicly distanced himself from Ben-Gvir’s conduct.
“The way minister Ben-Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists is not in line with Israel’s values and norms,” Netanyahu said, adding that he had instructed authorities to deport the detainees “as soon as possible.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar issued an even stronger rebuke, accusing Ben-Gvir of damaging Israel’s international standing “not for the first time.”
Human rights organisations said the incident reflected a broader pattern of abuse inside Israeli detention facilities during the ongoing war in Gaza. Rights advocates have repeatedly documented allegations of mistreatment, torture, and degrading conditions for Palestinian detainees since the conflict escalated following the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023.
Sari Bashi, director of the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, warned that the public celebration of detainee mistreatment by senior officials could encourage further abuses.
“When prison staff see political leaders openly praising this behaviour, it sends a message that abuse is tolerated,” Bashi said.
The legal advocacy organisation Adalah, which represents some of the detained activists, accused Israel of repeating patterns seen during previous flotilla interceptions and urged the international community to intervene.
The controversy came just one day after another far-right Israeli minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced plans to forcibly remove residents from the Palestinian village of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank.
According to reports in Israeli media, prosecutors at the International Criminal Court are seeking arrest warrants for several senior Israeli officials, including Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, over allegations linked to the conduct of the war and settlement policies.
The incident has deepened tensions between Israel and several allied governments at a time when international scrutiny over the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to intensify.
