By Anietie anii-bassey
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists detained after attempting to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza arrived Wednesday at the Israeli port city of Ashdod aboard navy vessels, where they were met with a defiant display by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called for the activists to be jailed “for a long, long time.”
The confrontation added another layer of international tension to the ongoing war in Gaza, as governments and human rights groups condemned Israel’s interception of the flotilla and accused Israeli authorities of humiliating and mistreating those on board.
Video released by Ben-Gvir’s office showed the minister walking through what appeared to be a temporary detention compound at Ashdod port surrounded by police officers and armed security personnel. Waving a large Israeli flag, Ben-Gvir addressed the detained activists, telling them, “Welcome to Israel, we are the landlords.”
The footage showed dozens of activists kneeling on the floor with their hands tied behind their backs and their heads lowered. Some were seen aboard ships while others appeared to be held inside fenced-off holding areas near the port.
In one moment captured on video, a detained activist shouted “Free Palestine” as Ben-Gvir walked past. Security personnel immediately forced the protester to the ground while others nearby remained restrained.
A second video released by the minister showed him mocking the activists, saying they had arrived “full of pride like big heroes” before urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow authorities to imprison them for extended periods.
“I say to Prime Minister Netanyahu, give them to me for a long, long time,” Ben-Gvir declared. “Give them to us for the terrorist prisons. That’s what it should look like.”
The flotilla mission, organized by international pro-Palestinian activists, sought to challenge Israel’s long-standing blockade of Gaza and draw attention to worsening humanitarian conditions in the territory after nearly two years of devastating war.
Israeli naval forces intercepted the final remaining flotilla vessels Tuesday after earlier stopping dozens of boats in international waters near Cyprus. According to organizers, approximately 430 activists from multiple countries were detained during the operation.
Flotilla organizers accused Israeli forces of using aggressive tactics during the seizures, alleging that soldiers fired on at least five boats and caused damage during the interceptions. Israel denied firing live ammunition, insisting that only nonlethal warning measures were used and that no activists were intentionally harmed.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the flotilla as a political provocation rather than a genuine humanitarian mission, describing it as “a PR stunt at the service of Hamas.” Israeli officials argued that the vessels carried only symbolic amounts of aid and were primarily intended to generate international attention and pressure against Israel.
The boats had departed from Turkey last week and were intercepted roughly 167 miles from Gaza’s coastline, according to organizers.
Human rights organizations quickly condemned the treatment of detainees after videos from Ashdod began circulating online.
Adalah, a legal advocacy group representing Arab minority rights in Israel, accused Israeli authorities of carrying out what it described as a campaign of humiliation and abuse against the activists.
The organization said lawyers and volunteers had been dispatched to Ashdod to provide legal assistance and demand the immediate release of those detained.
In a statement, Adalah argued that the treatment of activists followed a pattern established during previous flotilla missions, alleging that Israeli authorities had repeatedly faced little or no international accountability.
“The international community must take urgent measures to protect the flotilla members against this brutal and illegal conduct by Israeli officials,” the group said.
The incident also triggered sharp diplomatic reactions across Europe and the Middle East.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani held overnight talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, requesting the swift release of Italian citizens detained during the operation, including an Italian lawmaker and a journalist reportedly aboard one of the boats.
Ireland’s government also reacted angrily. More than a dozen Irish nationals were reportedly among the activists, including the sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin condemned Israel’s interception of the vessels in international waters, calling the operation “absolutely unacceptable.”
Turkey strongly criticized the raids, accusing Israel of committing “piracy” at sea, while Hamas praised the flotilla participants and denounced the Israeli operation as an attack on international solidarity efforts.
Spain and Indonesia joined calls urging Israel to guarantee the safety of detainees and release them as quickly as possible.
The United States, however, took a sharply different position. The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against several European activists linked to the flotilla effort. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the mission as “pro-terror,” accusing organizers of supporting narratives favorable to Hamas.
The confrontation has once again placed global attention on Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which has remained in place since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. Israel argues the blockade is necessary to prevent Hamas from importing weapons and military equipment. Critics, including humanitarian groups and many international legal experts, argue the restrictions amount to collective punishment against Gaza’s civilian population.
Egypt, which controls Gaza’s southern border crossing not directly managed by Israel, has also imposed heavy restrictions on movement in and out of the territory for years.
Conditions inside Gaza have deteriorated dramatically since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, during which approximately 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 others were taken hostage.
Israel’s military campaign in response has devastated much of Gaza’s infrastructure and displaced the overwhelming majority of the territory’s population. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 72,700 people have been killed since the start of the war, though the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its casualty figures.
International humanitarian organizations continue warning of widespread hunger, collapsing medical systems and catastrophic living conditions across Gaza as fighting and restrictions on aid deliveries continue.
The flotilla mission, though carrying only limited supplies, was intended by organizers as a symbolic challenge to the blockade and a demonstration of international solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Instead, the operation has deepened already intense international divisions over the war, the blockade and Israel’s increasingly aggressive efforts to suppress protests and activism linked to Gaza.
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