Montreal (AFP) – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday denounced the "appalling treatment" of activists aboard the Gaza-bound aid flotilla as "unacceptable," in a call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, according to a statement.
Issued on: 26/05/2026 - FRANCE24
Protesters in Italy re-enacted Israel's detention and alleged abuse of activists in the Global Sumud Flotilla, amid growing global outrage © Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP
Last week, Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir sparked widespread condemnation and a diplomatic backlash by posting a video mocking the activists after they were seized in international waters by Israeli soldiers.
In the video dozens of activists, including 12 Canadian citizens, were forced to kneel with their foreheads to the ground and their hands tied.
In the call, Carney called for an independent investigation and "strongly condemned" remarks by Ben Gvir, according to the statement.
One of the Canadian activists, Safa Chebbi, told AFP by phone that the group was "under constant threat."
Last week, Canada said it was summoning the Israeli ambassador over the incident.
A number of activists have accused the Israeli military of physical abuse during detention, prior to being deported to their countries.
France has banned Ben Gvir from entry to its territory, and is joining Italy and Spain to call on the European Union to sanction him.
Ben Gvir's actions also drew criticism from inside the Israeli government.
© 2026 AFP
Last week, Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir sparked widespread condemnation and a diplomatic backlash by posting a video mocking the activists after they were seized in international waters by Israeli soldiers.
In the video dozens of activists, including 12 Canadian citizens, were forced to kneel with their foreheads to the ground and their hands tied.
In the call, Carney called for an independent investigation and "strongly condemned" remarks by Ben Gvir, according to the statement.
One of the Canadian activists, Safa Chebbi, told AFP by phone that the group was "under constant threat."
Last week, Canada said it was summoning the Israeli ambassador over the incident.
A number of activists have accused the Israeli military of physical abuse during detention, prior to being deported to their countries.
France has banned Ben Gvir from entry to its territory, and is joining Italy and Spain to call on the European Union to sanction him.
Ben Gvir's actions also drew criticism from inside the Israeli government.
© 2026 AFP
Issued on: 25/05/2026
05:46 min From the show
Israel’s Foreign Ministry mocked the activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla online, alleging that injuries were “staged” for the cameras as an activist pictured in a neck brace displayed a “marvellous recovery," when returning home without it. This comes as many activists have returned to their home countries after being detained and deported from Israeli custody. Multiple activists accused Israeli forces of abuse, torture, sexual violence and rape whilst they were held in detention.
The provocative posts incited a rebuttal from the Global Sumud Flotilla online, which said activist Nesrin Zeaiter had "experienced a concussion and over 40 bruises" in custody, " and that a neck brace is "standard precautionary protocol for suspected cervical injury."
Despite these posts mocking the activists, Israel's foreign ministry has not directly addressed the wider allegations of abuse against its forces, apart from an Israeli prison spokesperson teling Reuters that the "allegations raised are false and entirely without factual basis."
The flotilla and the treatment of the activists onboard have been at the centre of a media storm since last week, when far-right Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video online, of himself taunting the activists as they were detained by Israeli police. It included a clip of himself waving an Israeli flag over the participants as they lay hunched over on the ground, their hands bound with zip-ties. The sharing of this video triggered immediate backlash from several countries whose citizens were onboard the ship, as well as France becoming the latest country to ban Ben-Gvir from entry.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry account also reposted a video to sarcastically strike back at Spain, which has been vocal about its support for the flotilla activists and its condemnation of Israel's war in Gaza. Online, it shared a video of recent clashes between activists and police in Bilbao airport, saying it "demanded an explanation" from Madrid about its treatment against the "flotilla anarchists."
Images from Spanish state broadcaster TVE show scuffles began when a relative of one of the six activists tried to approach them, and was then forcefully stopped by a police officer. In another post, Israel declared "hypocrisy" from Spain for its treatment of the activists in Bilbao, after Madrid condemned Israel's "lawful actions" against the same flotilla activists.
Vedika Bahl goes through what we know in Truth or Fake.
France bars Israeli minister over 'brutalised' Gaza flotilla activists
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from France for his treatment of pro-Palestinian activists detained as they tried to reach Gaza, the French government announced on Saturday.
Issued on: 23/05/2026 - RFI
'Repeated incitements of violence'
Asked by news agency AFP to respond to the claims of physical and psychological violence, sexual harassment, assault and rape, the Israeli prison service said the accusations were "false and entirely without factual basis".
More than 50 boats set sail from Turkey last week with over 400 people aboard, from 40 different countries. They said they were attempting to take basic aid to Gaza, which has been under Israeli blockade since 2007.
Ben-Gvir, who oversees Israel's police and security services, was sanctioned last year by the UK, Australia, Norway, Canada and New Zealand for "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities".
Another far-right minister, Bezalel Smotrich, was also subject to the sanctions, which saw the issuing countries bar them from entry and freeze their assets there.
They were the first such sanctions imposed on Israeli ministers by Western governments.
(with newswires and RFI reporting in French)
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from France for his treatment of pro-Palestinian activists detained as they tried to reach Gaza, the French government announced on Saturday.
Issued on: 23/05/2026 - RFI
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir addresses the Knesset in Jerusalem on 30 March 2026. © Oren Ben Hakoon / Reuters
Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory, effective immediately, after "his reprehensible actions towards French and European citizens" who were part of the flotilla, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot wrote on X.
While saying he didn't support the flotilla's actions, Barrot declared: "We cannot tolerate French nationals being threatened, intimidated or brutalised in this way, especially by a public official."
He added that, alongside the Italian government, he was also calling for European Union sanctions against Ben-Gvir.
The ultra-nationalist minister drew condemnation from France and other countries, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for sharing a video of himself taunting activists as they knelt in handcuffs while detained by Israeli authorities.
Alleged abuse
Several of the activists on board the Global Sumud Flotilla have alleged they were subjected to violence, sexual abuse and other degrading treatment after being intercepted by Israeli naval forces last week.
The video shared by Ben-Gvir on Wednesday, captioned "Welcome to Israel", showed him waving an Israeli flag next to bound activists held at a detention facility at the Israeli port of Ashdod, as well as heckling detainees and urging on wardens as they push a woman down.
Amid outcry, countries including France, Italy, the UK and Canada summoned Israel's ambassadors to complain. Netanyahu said Ben-Gvir's treatment of the activists was "not in line with Israel's values and norms".
Israel has since deported all foreign activists, it said on Thursday. Eight of the 36 French nationals taking part returned to Paris on Friday, telling reporters that two of their fellow activists remained in hospital in Turkey.
Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory, effective immediately, after "his reprehensible actions towards French and European citizens" who were part of the flotilla, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot wrote on X.
While saying he didn't support the flotilla's actions, Barrot declared: "We cannot tolerate French nationals being threatened, intimidated or brutalised in this way, especially by a public official."
He added that, alongside the Italian government, he was also calling for European Union sanctions against Ben-Gvir.
The ultra-nationalist minister drew condemnation from France and other countries, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for sharing a video of himself taunting activists as they knelt in handcuffs while detained by Israeli authorities.
Alleged abuse
Several of the activists on board the Global Sumud Flotilla have alleged they were subjected to violence, sexual abuse and other degrading treatment after being intercepted by Israeli naval forces last week.
The video shared by Ben-Gvir on Wednesday, captioned "Welcome to Israel", showed him waving an Israeli flag next to bound activists held at a detention facility at the Israeli port of Ashdod, as well as heckling detainees and urging on wardens as they push a woman down.
Amid outcry, countries including France, Italy, the UK and Canada summoned Israel's ambassadors to complain. Netanyahu said Ben-Gvir's treatment of the activists was "not in line with Israel's values and norms".
Israel has since deported all foreign activists, it said on Thursday. Eight of the 36 French nationals taking part returned to Paris on Friday, telling reporters that two of their fellow activists remained in hospital in Turkey.
French activists detained and deported by Israel following the interception of their Gaza-bound flotilla arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport outside Paris on 22 May 2026. © AFP - SIMON WOHLFAHRT
Activists described being hit, stripped, groped, forced into stress positions and kept in handcuffs for hours at a time.
"At one point, they made us go into a black container where we couldn’t see a thing," Sabrina Azizi told RFI at the Paris airport. "That's where each of us was subjected to a different form of torture. I was given an injection, but some of my comrades were beaten, so badly that some were injured...
"We spent two days hearing screams, shouts and the sound of soldiers banging them against the containers."
Activists described being hit, stripped, groped, forced into stress positions and kept in handcuffs for hours at a time.
"At one point, they made us go into a black container where we couldn’t see a thing," Sabrina Azizi told RFI at the Paris airport. "That's where each of us was subjected to a different form of torture. I was given an injection, but some of my comrades were beaten, so badly that some were injured...
"We spent two days hearing screams, shouts and the sound of soldiers banging them against the containers."
'Repeated incitements of violence'
Asked by news agency AFP to respond to the claims of physical and psychological violence, sexual harassment, assault and rape, the Israeli prison service said the accusations were "false and entirely without factual basis".
More than 50 boats set sail from Turkey last week with over 400 people aboard, from 40 different countries. They said they were attempting to take basic aid to Gaza, which has been under Israeli blockade since 2007.
Ben-Gvir, who oversees Israel's police and security services, was sanctioned last year by the UK, Australia, Norway, Canada and New Zealand for "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities".
Another far-right minister, Bezalel Smotrich, was also subject to the sanctions, which saw the issuing countries bar them from entry and freeze their assets there.
They were the first such sanctions imposed on Israeli ministers by Western governments.
(with newswires and RFI reporting in French)
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