Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir posted a video on Wednesday showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs and foreheads on the ground.

The footage, published on Ben Gvir’s X account and captioned “Welcome to Israel”, shows dozens of activists on the deck of a military boat with the Israeli national anthem blaring, and in detention in Israel, where the minister is seen waving an Israeli flag.

In the video he shared, he is seen encouraging staff at the detention centre as they push down an activist who had stood up to say “free free Palestine” as he walked by.

Saad Edhi, the son of prominent social worker Faisal Edhi and the grandson of late philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, is reportedly among the activists detained.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised Gvir over his handling of the activists, adding that he had ordered the activists’ deportation.

“The way minister Ben Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists is not in line with Israel’s values and norms. I have instructed the relevant authorities to deport the provocateurs (activists) as soon as possible,” Netanyahu claimed in a statement.

Italy’s government said that Israel’s treatment of the activists was unacceptable and that it would summon the Israeli ambassador for an explanation.

A strongly worded statement by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy “demands an apology for the treatment” of the activists and the “total disrespect” for the Italian government’s requests.

“It is intolerable that these protesters, among whom there are many Italian citizens, are subjected to this treatment, which violates human dignity,” Meloni said.

France said it had summoned the Israeli ambassador over Gvir’s “unacceptable actions”.

“I have requested that the Israeli ambassador to France be summoned to express our indignation and obtain an explanation,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X.

Spain’s top diplomat condemned the “monstrous” Israeli treatment of the activists.

“That treatment is monstrous, disgraceful and inhumane,” Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said in Berlin in a recording shared with the media, adding that Israel’s charge d’affaires in Madrid had been summoned in protest.

Irish foreign minister Helen McEntee said she was “appalled and shocked” by the video of the activists, including Irish citizens. McEntee demanded the immediate release of the “illegally detained” activists.

Israel’s Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Saar also condemned Ben Gvir after the release of the video.

“You knowingly caused harm to our state in this disgraceful display — and not for the first time”, Saar said on X, adding Ben Gvir was “not the face of Israel”.

‘Abuse and humiliation’

But Gvir hit back at Saar.

“I am proud to be the minister in charge of the organisations that operated today against those supporters of terror,” Gvir said in parliament.

“Yes, there will be all sorts of pictures that Gideon Saar does not like, but I think they are a great source of pride.”

Around 50 vessels under the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Turkiye last week in the latest attempt by activists to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza, after Israeli forces intercepted a previous convoy last month.

The Israeli authorities had said 430 activists aboard the flotilla were en route to Israel, while the Adalah rights group said some had already arrived at Ashdod port and were being held there.

Hamas, which controls half of Gaza and whose attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, sparked the genocide in the Palestinian territory, said the footage was evidence of Israeli leaders’ “moral depravity and sadism”.

Adalah also criticised Israeli authorities over the video.

“Israel is employing a criminal policy of abuse and humiliation against activists seeking to confront Israel’s ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people”, Adalah, whose lawyers went to the detention centre to meet the detainees, said in a statement.

“Having set sail toward Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge the unlawful blockade, these civilian participants were forcefully abducted from international waters and taken into Israeli territory entirely against their will,” Adalah said.

Israel’s foreign ministry had dismissed the flotilla as a publicity stunt serving Hamas.

“Another PR flotilla has come to an end. All 430 activists have been transferred to Israeli vessels and are making their way to Israel, where they will be able to meet with their consular representatives,” a spokesman from the foreign ministry said late on Tuesday.

“This flotilla has once again proved to be nothing more than a PR stunt at the service of Hamas,” the spokesman added.

‘Malicious scheme’

Netanyahu had earlier denounced the flotilla as “a malicious scheme designed to break the blockade we have imposed on Hamas terrorists in Gaza”.

Turkiye and Spain condemned the interception, while Indonesia called for the release of all vessels and crew.

Organisers said the flotilla also included 15 Irish citizens, including Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly.

Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.

During the Gaza conflict, the territory suffered severe shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies, with Israel at times halting aid deliveries entirely.

A previous flotilla attempt was intercepted last month in international waters off Greece, with most activists expelled to Europe.

Two were brought to Israel, detained for several days and then deported.