Israeli police have been filmed forcing activists to kneel on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs while the country’s national security minister tells them they should be imprisoned for a long time.
Itamar Ben-Gvir released the videos of himself taunting those detained from a flotilla that tried to circumvent Israel‘s blockade of Gaza and were detained in international waters.
In the footage, he can be seen walking among some of the approximately 430 detainees after they arrived in an Israeli port on navy ships.
“Welcome to Israel, we are the landlords,” he says as he waves a large Israeli flag.
One handcuffed activist who shouts “free, free, Palestine” as Mr Ben-Gvir walks past can be seen immediately being pushed to the ground by security personnel.
In another video, Mr Ben-Gvir says the activists “came here all full of pride like big heroes” and adds: “Look at them now. See how they look now, not heroes and not anything.”
“I say to Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, give them to me for a long, long time, give them to us for the terrorist prisons, that’s what it should look like,” he ads.
The video also shows dozens of activists kneeling in rows with their hands tied behind their backs.
The flotilla set sail from southern Turkey last week and was trying to deliver aid to Gaza after earlier attempts were also intercepted by Israel.
The organisers say they hope to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian assistance, which aid groups warn is in short supply despite the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which began in October 2025 and includes guarantees of increased aid.
Netanyahu rebukes national security minister
Prime Minister Netanyahu criticised Mr Ben-Gvir, saying although Israel has every right to stop “provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters, the way the national security minister dealt with the activists “is not in line with Israel’s values and norms”.
Mr Netanyahu said he had given instructions for the activists to be deported “as soon as possible”.
Activists detained from previous flotillas were deported after being detained.
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Mr Ben-Gvir also drew criticism from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who publicly chastised his fellow minister on X, saying “you knowingly caused harm to our state in this disgraceful display”.
But Mr Ben-Gvir responded in the Israeli parliament, accusing Mr Saar of “bowing to the terrorists” and that any Israeli apology to the activists would send a message of “weakness”.
International condemnation
Canada said it would summon the Israeli ambassador over the incident, with Prime Minister Mark Carney reiterating that sanctions were already placed on Mr Ben-Gvir’s assets and a travel ban was in place.
He wrote on social media: “The abominable treatment of civilians aboard the flotilla, including that which is documented in footage shared by Itamar Ben-Gvir, is unacceptable.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Mr Ben-Gvir’s actions towards the activists was “inadmissible”. Italy confirmed its citizens, including a member of parliament and a journalist, were on board the flotilla.
South Korean citizens were also among those detained, President Lee Jae Myung said, as he called Israel’s actions “way out of line”.
“What is the legal basis [for the arrests]? Is it Israeli territorial waters?” Mr Lee asked, adding: “Is that Israeli land? If there is conflict, can they seize and detain third-country vessels?”
Turkey and Greece condemned the treatment of the activists, while France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Canada summoned top Israeli diplomats in their countries over the treatment of the flotilla members.
Israel has enforced a sea blockade of Gaza since Hamas took control of the enclave in 2007, and intensified its control after Hamas launched an attack into southern Israel that killed around 1,200 and saw more than 250 taken hostage on 7 October 2023.
