Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir Sparks International Outrage After Posting Video Taunting Detained Gaza Flotilla Activists

May 20, 2026

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sparked a major diplomatic crisis on May 20, 2026 by posting video of himself taunting handcuffed Gaza flotilla activists detained at Ashdod port, waving an Israeli flag and telling them 'We are the masters' while they knelt with hands tied. The activists were among 430 people from over 40 countries aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, intercepted by Israeli naval commandos in international waters starting May 18. The video drew condemnation from the US, UK, and multiple European nations who summoned Israeli ambassadors, while Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Saar publicly rebuked Ben-Gvir for actions contradicting Israeli values. The flotilla aimed to highlight conditions in Gaza where 2.1 million people remain displaced despite an October 2025 ceasefire, with limited access to basic services and humanitarian aid.

Ben-Gvir detention facility video

▪Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video on May 20, 2026 showing himself visiting a detention facility at the port of Ashdod where Gaza flotilla activists were being held.

Israeli interception of Gaza flotilla

▪The Israeli foreign ministry stated that no live ammunition was used during the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
▪All boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla had been intercepted by May 19, 2026, with one managing to get within 80 nautical miles of Gaza.
▪More than 50 boats taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Turkey on May 15, 2026.
▪Armed Israeli naval commandos began intercepting the Global Sumud Flotilla on May 18, 2026 in international waters west of Cyprus, about 250 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza.

International diplomatic condemnation

▪UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Itamar Ben-Gvir's video showed 'totally disgraceful scenes' and sent a summons to the Israeli embassy to demand an urgent explanation.
▪US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called Itamar Ben-Gvir's actions 'despicable'.
▪Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told Itamar Ben-Gvir that he knowingly caused harm to Israel in a disgraceful display.
▪Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said footage of detained Global Sumud Flotilla participants showed they were not being treated with appropriate dignity or respect.

Netanyahu rebuke of Ben-Gvir

▪Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Itamar Ben-Gvir's treatment of flotilla activists was not in line with Israel's values and norms.
▪Benjamin Netanyahu instructed Israeli authorities to deport the Global Sumud Flotilla activists as soon as possible.

Gaza humanitarian aid restrictions

▪Most of Gaza's 2.1 million population is displaced as of May 2026.
▪More than 1.5 million tonnes of aid and thousands of tonnes of medical supplies had entered Gaza over the seven months preceding May 2026.
▪Only 86% of humanitarian supplies initially approved by Israeli authorities for entry into Gaza in April 2026 were ultimately offloaded at border crossings.
▪Many displaced families in Gaza were still forced to shelter in overcrowded tents or severely damaged structures as of May 2026 due to the absence of safer alternatives.
▪A ceasefire was agreed by Israel and Hamas in October 2025.
▪Access to basic services in Gaza remained limited as of May 2026, with inconsistent clean water supplies and impaired waste management systems.

Flotilla activist detentions

▪430 people from more than 40 countries took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla.
▪Israeli rights group Adalah said on May 20, 2026 that Global Sumud Flotilla activists were being taken into Israeli territory entirely against their will and detained at Ashdod port.