Israel’s government is facing international backlash after a video surfaced showing far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir appearing to boast about the harsh treatment of foreign pro-Palestinian activists detained from a Gaza-bound protest flotilla.
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| Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir. - Amir Levy/Getty Image |
As he walks among the detainees, Ben-Gvir tells guards, “don’t be bothered by their screams.”
ככה אנחנו מקבלים את תומכי הטרור
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) May 20, 2026
Welcome to Israel 🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/7Hf8cAg7fC
The video sparked strong condemnation from many of Israel’s Western allies. The governments of the U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Canada, the Netherlands, and Belgium summoned Israeli ambassadors in protest.
Britain’s foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said she was “truly appalled” by the footage, adding that “this violates the most basic standards of respect and dignity.”
U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also criticized Ben-Gvir. While calling the flotilla a “stupid stunt,” Huckabee said the minister had “betrayed dignity of his nation.”
The activists belonged to the Global Sumud Flotilla, an initiative intended to draw attention to Israel’s humanitarian blockade of Gaza by attempting to deliver aid to the territory. Israel’s navy intercepted the civilian boats, which carried volunteers from several countries. Organizers said roughly 430 activists were detained.
Israel’s foreign ministry stated Thursday that all detainees had since been deported.
The flotilla organizers later confirmed the activists were being released, with many traveling to Istanbul. The group described the outcome as “a reminder of what global mobilisation and sustained political pressure can achieve.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the treatment shown in the video “intolerable,” saying it “violates human dignity.”
The footage also sparked criticism within Israel. Politicians across the political spectrum accused Ben-Gvir of harming the country’s global standing. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar labeled the video a “disgraceful display,” adding, “no, you are not the face of Israel.”
Ben-Gvir responded defiantly on X, telling Sa’ar that Israel “has stopped being a pushover.” He added, “Anyone who comes to our territory to support terrorism and identify with Hamas will get slapped.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s right to block “provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters” from reaching Gaza, but said Ben-Gvir’s conduct was “not in line with Israel’s values.”
The flotilla organizers rejected Netanyahu’s criticism as insincere, writing on X that his response revealed “the regime's desperate attempt to control its own narrative while maintaining the same brutal system.” They added, “This isn't about one minister — it's about the entire colonial machine.”
Israel has also come under scrutiny for its broader treatment of Palestinian detainees during the Gaza war. Former prisoners and human rights organizations have alleged widespread abuse, including beatings, electrocution, and sexual violence. In 2024, a panel of UN experts reported receiving testimonies describing detainees being “stripped naked, deprived of adequate healthcare, food, water and sleep, electrocutions including on their genitals.”
The experts further stated: “In addition, victims spoke of loud music played until their ears bled, attacks by dogs, waterboarding, suspension from ceilings and severe sexual and gender-based violence.”
Israel’s government has strongly denied allegations of torture. A recent article by The New York Times describing claims of widespread sexual abuse against Palestinian detainees generated major controversy, with Israeli officials threatening legal action against the newspaper for allegedly spreading “one of the most horrific and distorted lies ever against the State of Israel.”
The newspaper defended its reporting, saying the threat was “part of a well-worn political playbook that aims to undermine independent reporting and stifle journalism that does not fit a specific narrative. Any such legal claim would be without merit.”
Ben-Gvir, leader of the Jewish Power Party and a supporter of annexing the West Bank, has long been associated with inflammatory rhetoric toward Palestinians. Last year, he released another video filmed inside a prison, where he stood alongside armed guards over Palestinian detainees restrained on the floor, describing them as terrorists who should be executed.
The controversy comes as Israel heads toward elections expected to center heavily on Netanyahu and his right-wing coalition government.
Opposition leaders sharply criticized Ben-Gvir’s conduct. Benny Gantz, a former defense minister who left the coalition in 2024, described the video as “an embarrassing horror show.”
Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, now running in alliance with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, said: “The terrorist attack I explained today was carried out by Ben Gvir, but the one responsible for this serious terrorist attack is the Prime Minister who brought a convicted criminal into the government, and anyone who agreed to be a partner to a man so utterly lacking in responsibility.”
On Wednesday, Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, passed a bill to dissolve itself, clearing the way for elections later this year.