Israel Flaunts Brutal Treatment of Kidnapped Humanitarian Activists

Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has posted footage of kidnapped Gaza aid flotilla activists being brutalised in detention.

The video shows guards grabbing a woman by the head and pulling her to the ground, and rows of detainees bound with cable ties and forced to kneel.

“Look at them all now… terrorist supporters,” Ben-Gvir said as he pointed at a group of detainees kneeling with their faces down.  

Soldiers have detained 428 people who were attempting to deliver aid to besieged Palestinians on 50 boats.

Italy and France have summoned their respective Israeli ambassadors to express their anger at the treatment of the captives. Spain, Jordan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil and Colombia are among the nations that have denounced the interception of the boats as a violation of international law.

Two organisers – Saif Abukeshek and Thiago Ávila – were abducted near Greece around three weeks ago and subjected to torture that included beatings, being held in extreme cold and being subject to death threats. 

Among those detained in the most recent round of illegal interceptions this week is Margaret Connolly, the sister of Ireland’s president, Catherine Connolly.