DaysofPal- The Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir launched a verbal attack on international activists from the Sumud Flotilla, branding them “terrorists” after their ships were intercepted en route to the Gaza Strip.
According to Israeli media reports, Ben-Gvir ordered security forces to tighten the detention conditions of the foreign nationals arrested during the naval raid.
The activists had been attempting to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.
Eyewitness accounts said Ben-Gvir appeared at the detention site shouting at the activists with visible glee, declaring, “You are terrorists. We will not allow you to endanger Israel’s security.”
Human rights groups quickly condemned the minister’s remarks, calling them incitement against peaceful campaigners.
They stressed that the flotilla participants were unarmed civilians engaged in a humanitarian mission, not militants.
The Israeli navy intercepted the flotilla in international waters and redirected the vessels to Ashdod port.
Activists were detained for questioning, with some transferred to facilities under the authority of Ben-Gvir’s ministry.
Organizers of the Flotilla Flotilla described Israel’s actions as “piracy and a flagrant violation of international law”, demanding the immediate release of the detainees and accountability for Israel’s attempt to criminalize humanitarian solidarity.
The Flotilla Flotilla Coalition, which includes civil society groups from across Europe and beyond, has organized several attempts over the past decade to break the blockade on Gaza, which has been in place for more than 18 years.
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