Paris: France and Italy on Wednesday protested the Israeli occupation authorities' treatment of the abducted Gaza-bound Global Sumud flotilla activists. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called the way the humanitarian flotilla activists were handled "unacceptable", announcing that Israel's ambassador to France would be summoned.
According to Palestine news and Information Agency, the actions of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir toward the passengers of the Global Sumud flotilla have been condemned even by his own colleagues in the Israeli government. Barrot stated on US social media company X that the treatment of the activists was unacceptable and emphasized that French citizens participating in the flotilla must be treated with respect and released as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also condemned the actions, describing them as 'unacceptable.' Foreign Minister Tajani expressed on X that what was revealed in Minister Ben-Gvir's video runs counter to the most basic principles of human dignity. In consultation with the Prime Minister, Tajani has summoned the Israeli Ambassador to Italy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demanding an apology over the treatment of activists and what they described as disregard for explicit requests.
The incident occurred when hundreds of members from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were brought to Israel's Ashdod Port on Wednesday. Ben-Gvir released a video showing some activists shackled and forced to the ground. The video depicted dozens of activists kneeling on the floor, bent forward with their heads down, and hands bound behind their backs with zip ties, as the Israeli national anthem played loudly over speakers.
Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla reported that Israeli naval vessels intercepted all ships in the convoy in international waters, approximately 250 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza. According to the organizers, 428 activists were abducted by Israel after the interception began on Monday morning.