Far-right Israeli minister condemned for taunting handcuffed Gaza flotilla activists

Other activists are shown kneeling on the deck of a ship as the Israeli national anthem is played.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the video "unacceptable" and demanded an apology.

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

"Italy also demands an apology for the treatment inflicted on these demonstrators and for the total disregard shown towards the explicit requests of the Italian government."

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also said Ben Gvir's actions were unacceptable.

"Whatever one thinks of this flotilla... our nationals who took part in it must be treated with respect and released as soon as possible," he added.

Adalah said the footage demonstrated that Israel was "employing a criminal policy of abuse and humiliation against activists".

In an unusual step, Israel's foreign minister joined the condemnation of his cabinet colleague.

Addressing him on X, Gideon Saar wrote: "You knowingly caused harm to our state in this disgraceful display - and not for the first time."

Ben-Gvir hit back swiftly, saying: "The foreign minister is expected to understand that Israel has stopped being a pushover".

Prime Minister Netanyahu then issued his own rebuke.

"Israel has every right to prevent provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters from entering our territorial waters and reaching Gaza," a statement said.

"However, the way that Minister Ben Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists is not in line with Israel's values and norms."

The prime minister added that he had instructed Israeli authorities to "deport the provocateurs as soon as possible".

The GSF said the activists on board were carrying food, baby formula and medical aid for Palestinians in Gaza, where living conditions are dire and most of the 2.1 million population is displaced, despite the ceasefire agreed by Israel and Hamas last October.

The Israeli foreign ministry described Gaza as "flooded with aid", saying more than 1.5 million tonnes of aid and thousands of tonnes of medical supplies had entered the territory over the past seven months.

The UN said last week that many displaced families in Gaza were still forced to shelter in overcrowded tents or severely damaged structures due to the absence of safer alternatives.

Access to basic services remained limited, it added, with inconsistent clean water supplies and impaired waste management systems that could not meaningfully address public health concerns. Pests and rodents are also an issue.

The UN said humanitarian operations continued to be undermined by restrictions on the import of critical spare parts, back-up generators and other equipment, as well as shortages of essential inputs, including fuel and engine oil.

It noted that only 86% of the humanitarian supplies initially approved by Israeli authorities for entry into Gaza in April were ultimately offloaded at border crossings. The remaining supplies were returned to their points of origin.

The Gaza war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza, during which more than 72,770 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.