Israeli ambassadors summoned globally after hawkish minister threatens activists on Gaza flotilla

Israeli ambassadors in several countries, including Italy, France, the Netherlands and Canada, have been summoned to hear strong protests over the degrading treatment of pro-Palestinian activists who were abducted from a flotilla bound for the besieged Gaza Strip.

The denunciations came on Wednesday, shortly after Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video on social media showing him threatening activists as they knelt on the floor with their hands tied.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called Ben-Gvir’s actions “unacceptable” and demanded the release of French citizens “as soon as possible”.

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand described the incident as “deeply troubling” and said Ottawa would summon the Israeli ambassador.

“This is a matter we take very, very seriously,” she told reporters. “It’s a matter of humane treatment of civilians, and I can assure you that we are acting with absolute urgency.”

The Netherlands also moved to summon the Israeli ambassador. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said Ben-Gvir’s “treatment of detainees violates basic human dignity”.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday decried Israel’s actions against his country's citizens, among the abducted campaigners, as “way out of line”.

“What is the legal basis? Is it Israeli territorial waters?” Lee asked. “Is that Israeli land? If there is conflict, can they seize and detain third-country vessels?”

The Portuguese Foreign Ministry also strongly condemned Ben-Gvir’s “intolerable behaviour”.

Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called the treatment of the activists “monstrous,” while his Irish counterpart Helen McEntee said she was “shocked” by the footage and called for the activists’ immediate release.

Other countries condemning the incident include Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Germany, Poland, Qatar, Slovenia, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Colombia and the United Kingdom.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Global Sumud Flotilla posted on X that at least 87 people abducted by Israeli forces from an aid flotilla bound for Gaza had begun a hunger strike “in protest of their illegal abduction and in solidarity with the over 9,500 Palestinian hostages held in Israeli dungeons”.

Organisers said Israeli naval forces “kidnapped” six people aboard the Lina al-Nabulsi boat late on Tuesday evening. That boat was the last in a group of more than 50 vessels that left the Turkish port city of Marmaris last week, aiming to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed late Tuesday that the regime's forces were taking hundreds of flotilla participants to the occupied lands.

Organisers said Israeli forces began overtaking the vessels in international waters off Cyprus on Monday. Troops raided boats, fired rubber bullets and abducted participants.

The abductees included nine Indonesian citizens, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.

Indonesia called for the immediate release of all vessels and said: “Every diplomatic channel and consular measure will continue to be fully utilised”.

About 15 Irish citizens, including Margaret Connolly, a doctor and sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly, were among those being held.

Countries including Turkey, Spain, Jordan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Indonesia, Colombia, Libya and the Maldives have denounced the Israeli interceptions as “blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian law”.

Since last year, when a fragile ceasefire took effect in Gaza, the Israeli regime has killed at least 871 Palestinians in the besieged strip, on top of the more than 72,800 already killed throughout the ongoing genocide.

The genocide has also been marked by the weaponisation of food and other vital supplies, as the regime further tightens its siege today, building on the blockade it has imposed since 2007.

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