Israel deports Gaza flotilla activists amid global outcry over alleged abuse

Israel has confirmed the deportation of all foreign nationals detained following its naval interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), as governments across Europe and North America summoned Israeli envoys and demanded explanations over the treatment of activists in Israeli custody.

Around 430 participants from more than 40 countries were expelled from Israel on Thursday, 22 May 2026, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. The deportees were flown primarily to Istanbul, Turkey, where supporters bearing Palestinian flags received them at the airport.

The flotilla, which comprised more than 50 vessels carrying a symbolic quantity of humanitarian aid, departed from the Turkish port of Marmaris on 14 May 2026. Israeli naval commandos began intercepting the fleet on Monday morning in international waters west of Cyprus, approximately 268 kilometres from the Gaza coastline.

Israel's foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein stated that all foreign activists had been deported and that Israel would not permit any breach of its naval blockade on Gaza.

International condemnation follows Ben-Gvir video

The diplomatic fallout intensified after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video on social media showing detained activists kneeling on the floor with their hands bound behind their backs, while he walked among them carrying an Israeli flag.

The footage triggered condemnation from governments including the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Qatar, Indonesia and Ireland.

The UK Foreign Office confirmed it had summoned Israel's charge d'affaires in London, Daniela Grudsky Ekstein, describing Ben-Gvir's conduct as warranting strong condemnation. British officials also expressed serious concern over the depicted detention conditions and demanded clarification from Israeli authorities.

Poland's Foreign Affairs Minister Radosław Sikorski expressed outrage over the treatment of Polish citizens aboard the flotilla and called for Ben-Gvir to be barred from entering Poland. A Polish foreign ministry spokesman confirmed that two Polish nationals had since returned home.

France, Canada, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands also summoned Israeli ambassadors to their respective capitals. French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described Ben-Gvir's actions toward flotilla passengers as unacceptable, noting that the conduct had been condemned even by his own government colleagues.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described Israel's treatment of the activists as abominable. Global Sumud Canada confirmed to local media that 12 Canadian citizens had been aboard the flotilla.

Italy's Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani contacted European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, requesting that sanctions against Ben-Gvir be placed on the agenda at the bloc's next foreign ministers' meeting. He cited the seizure of activists in international waters and their subsequent alleged mistreatment as constituting unacceptable violations of basic human rights.

European Council President Antonio Costa also stated that Ben-Gvir's behaviour was completely unacceptable.

Netanyahu rebukes his own minister

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a public rebuke of Ben-Gvir, acknowledging Israel's right to stop what he described as provocative flotillas linked to Hamas supporters, but stating that the manner in which his minister had acted was not consistent with Israeli values and norms.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar also condemned the video. The Israeli embassy in London stated the footage did not represent government policy.

United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Ben-Gvir had betrayed the dignity of his nation.

Netanyahu subsequently instructed that the activists be deported as soon as possible. The deportations from Ramon Airport in southern Israel and Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv were completed within days, representing what observers described as the fastest such expulsions Israel has ever carried out.

Allegations of physical mistreatment

Two Italian nationals who were detained and returned home earlier than the main group brought specific abuse allegations against Israeli forces.

Journalist Alessandro Mantovani told reporters at Rome's Fiumicino airport that detainees had been transported to Ben Gurion Airport in handcuffs and leg chains before being flown first to Athens. He said Israeli forces had kicked and punched detainees and shouted phrases welcoming them to Israel during the assaults.

Dario Carotenuto, a lawmaker from Italy's 5-Star Movement, said he had been punched in the eye and kicked while in detention. He described Israeli forces pointing rifles at activists inside a detention facility.

Israel's Prison Service spokesperson Zivan Freidin dismissed the allegations as entirely without factual basis, stating that all detainees had been held lawfully with full regard for their basic rights and under the supervision of trained staff, with medical care provided under Health Ministry guidelines.

Adalah, an Israel-based legal centre for Arab minority rights that represented the detainees, said its lawyers had documented repeated taser use, suspected broken ribs, beatings, prolonged stress positions and sexual harassment.

Adalah's communications director Miriam Azem said one activist had been forced to strip and run while guards laughed. The organisation also alleged that rubber bullets were fired during the interception of the flotilla.

Israeli authorities did not immediately respond to those specific allegations.

Deportees arrive in Turkey and beyond

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara had chartered special flights to bring Turkish citizens and third-country participants to Turkey.

A total of approximately 422 participants were transported to Istanbul, Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported, adding that all were expected to undergo medical examinations upon arrival.

Spain's Foreign Minister confirmed that 44 Spanish flotilla members had departed Israel. Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said 15 Irish citizens who had been detained were expected to be flown to Turkey. Among the Irish deportees was Dr Margaret Connolly, the sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly.

Jordan confirmed that two of its nationals had returned home via a southern crossing with Israel. The French Foreign Ministry said 37 French nationals were among those deported. One Israeli citizen aboard the flotilla, Zohar Regev, was released separately following a court hearing in Ashkelon on charges of illegal entry into Israel.

Background: blockade and repeated flotilla attempts

Israel has maintained a naval blockade of Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007, tightening it significantly following the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and saw more than 250 taken hostage.

Israel states the blockade is intended to prevent Hamas from acquiring weapons. Critics, including numerous rights organisations, have characterised it as collective punishment of Gaza's civilian population.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed more than 72,700 people, according to figures published by Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, which operates under Hamas administration, does not disaggregate between civilian and combatant fatalities; its records are broadly considered reliable by international observers.

The flotilla's organisers stated their aim was to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, citing ongoing shortages despite a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in place since October 2025 that includes provisions for increased aid access. Israel dismissed the mission as a public relations exercise in support of Hamas.

This week, the United States Treasury Department imposed sanctions on several European activists aboard the flotilla, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent describing the participants as pro-terror.

The incident has occurred at a politically charged moment in Israel, with the country edging toward potential early elections after lawmakers gave preliminary approval to dissolve parliament. Opinion polls suggest Netanyahu would lose the first national election since the October 2023 Hamas attacks.

Ben-Gvir, whose political base comprises some of Israel's most nationalist voters, has been a figure Netanyahu's Likud party has historically sought to court ahead of elections.