Italy and France have denounced as unacceptable the treatment of pro-Palestinian activists who were on board a Gaza-bound aid flotilla intercepted by Israeli naval forces near Cyprus.
Both countries summoned Israel's ambassadors after far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video showing himself taunting activists detained at the port of Ashdod.
His actions prompted rare criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said they were not in line with Israel's values.
A rights group representing the 430 participants from more than 40 countries who took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) has demanded their immediate release.
The flotilla, which carried a token amount of aid, set out to highlight the tough conditions for Palestinians in war-torn Gaza. Israel dismissed it as a PR stunt at the service of Hamas.
More than 50 boats taking part in the flotilla set sail from Turkey last Thursday and were intercepted in international waters. The GSF's organizers accused Israel of illegal, high-seas aggression.
Ben-Gvir's video showed him encouraging security personnel as they pushed down activists with their hands tied, to which Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni responded by calling the treatment intolerable and demanding an apology from Israel.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also condemned the actions, stating that whatever one's opinion of the flotilla, the activists should be treated with respect and released immediately.
In an unusual step, Israel's foreign minister joined the condemnation, criticizing Ben-Gvir's display as harmful to the state. The situation remains tense as Israel continues to detain activists while asserting the legality of their naval blockade on Gaza.
