Israel Deports Gaza Flotilla Activists Amid Global Backlash

The Israeli government announced Thursday that hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists attempting to breach its naval blockade of Gaza have been released and deported, according to multiple reports. This came amid international outrage over their treatment, which prompted several countries to summon Israeli envoys.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the activists' swift deportation after sharply rebuking National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for a video showing him taunting handcuffed and kneeling detainees. Netanyahu stated that while Israel has the right to stop 'provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters,' Ben-Gvir's actions were 'not in line with Israel’s values and norms.'

Ben-Gvir released videos on Wednesday showing him among approximately 430 detainees, some kneeling with their heads touching the floor. Several countries, including Britain, France, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Indonesia summoned Israeli envoys to protest Ben-Gvir's actions and the treatment of flotilla activists.

The flotilla aimed to draw attention to conditions for nearly 2 million Palestinians in Gaza. Israel stopped vessels near Crete on April 30 and detained two high-profile activists before deporting them. The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on several European activists aboard the flotilla, calling them 'pro-terror.'

According to BBC, the UK confirmed it had summoned Israel's top diplomat in Britain over the incident. The UK Foreign Office stated that this move reflected its 'strong condemnation of [Ben Gvir's] conduct in taunting those involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla'. Poland also summoned Israel's Chargé d'Affaires in Warsaw to express outrage at the treatment of its citizens and demand an apology for Ben-Gvir's behavior.

Italy's Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani said he had asked the EU to consider placing sanctions on Ben Gvir. He condemned the 'unacceptable acts' of 'seizing the activists in international waters and subjecting them to harassment and humiliation, in violation of the most basic human rights'. There has also been condemnation from the US, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Canada, and Ireland.

Adalah, an Israel-based rights group representing the detainees, reported 'severe, widespread injuries', with at least three people taken to hospital for treatment. Israeli authorities have not commented on these allegations. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that his country was conducting special flights to bring Turkish citizens and third-country participants back to Turkey.

Among the deported activists were Italian politician Dario Carotenuto and journalist Alessandro Mantovani, who arrived at Rome's Fiumicino Airport after being flown to Athens. Speaking to reporters, Carotenuto alleged that they had been beaten after arriving in Israel. Spain's foreign minister informed that 44 Spanish flotilla members would depart from Israel at 15:00 local time.

Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Helen McEntee, announced that 15 Irish citizens who had been detained were expected to be flown to Turkey. Among them was Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly. In a statement, a spokesman for Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: 'All foreign activists from the PR flotilla have been deported from Israel.'

More than 50 boats taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) set sail from Turkey last Thursday carrying a token amount of aid. Four hundred and thirty people from more than 40 countries were on board. Israel dismissed the action as a 'PR stunt at the service of Hamas'. On Monday morning, armed Israeli naval commandos began intercepting the fleet in international waters west of Cyprus, about 250 nautical miles (460km) from the coast of Gaza, which is under an Israeli maritime blockade.