Spanish police beat and detain Gaza flotilla activists at Bilbao airport, prompting Israeli diplomatic complaint

May 23, 2026

Spanish police beat and detained four Gaza flotilla activists at Bilbao Airport as they returned from Israeli detention, sparking a diplomatic row. Israel's Foreign Ministry demanded an explanation, calling the activists "anarchists," after Spain had condemned Israel's treatment of the group. The Basque police's actions, captured on video, are now under investigation.

Bilbao airport detention incident

▪All four detained activists were later released, with one receiving treatment in a hospital.
▪Spanish police arrested four Global Sumud Flotilla activists at Bilbao Airport on May 23, 2026.
▪The confrontation began after a person in the terminal attempted to approach the returning activists and was stopped by police.
▪The four arrested individuals were accused of serious disobedience, resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer.

Gaza flotilla interception

▪The IDF had accused the activists of a publicity stunt and instructed them to deliver aid through official channels like the port of Ashdod.
▪The activists were returning via Turkey after being deported from Israel, where their aid flotilla to Gaza was intercepted by the IDF last month.

Israeli diplomatic complaint

▪In a post on X, Israel's Foreign Ministry stated, "The flotilla anarchists are driving the Spanish police crazy."
▪Israel's Foreign Ministry demanded an explanation from the Spanish government for its treatment of the activists, whom the ministry called "anarchists."

Spanish police violence allegations

▪The Spanish-Basque party EH Bildu condemned the police response as "unjustified" and called for the release of the detainees.
▪Videos from the airport showed Basque regional police officers striking activists with batons and dragging them across the terminal floor.
▪The Basque Security Department opened an investigation to determine if the police actions complied with regulations.

Global Sumud Flotilla operations

▪The Global Sumud Flotilla stated the violence began when a family member tried to cross a barrier to embrace a returning activist.
▪The Global Sumud Flotilla said some activists attacked by Basque police had severe injuries from their prior captivity in Israel.

Ben Gvir activist taunting

▪Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares had previously condemned Israel's treatment of the flotilla activists as "monstrous" and "inhumane."
▪Following Itamar Ben-Gvir's video, France announced it would ban him, and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu distanced himself from the minister's conduct.
▪The airport incident occurred after Spain summoned Israel's chargé d’affaires over a video of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir taunting detained activists.