After the Israeli Navy completed Tuesday night's seizure of all vessels in the Turkish Gaza flotilla, the ships docked at Ashdod port. Approximately 140 flotilla activists were apprehended and handcuffed, and several ministers arrived at the scene to document the event and circulate footage on social media.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived at the port, held an Israeli flag over the flotilla activists who remained handcuffed and lying on the floor, and declared proudly, "Netanyahu – give them to me for a long time, put them in the terrorists' prisons. This is what it should look like."
Le immagini del ministro israeliano Ben Gvir sono inaccettabili. È inammissibile che questi manifestanti, fra cui molti cittadini italiani, vengano sottoposti a questo trattamento lesivo della dignità della persona.
Il Governo italiano sta immediatamente compiendo, ai più alti…— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) May 20, 2026
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added, "Israel has every right to prevent provocative flotillas backed by Hamas terrorism supporters from entering our territorial waters and reaching Gaza. However, the manner in which Minister Ben-Gvir treated the flotilla activists is inconsistent with the values and norms of the State of Israel. I have instructed the relevant authorities to expel the provocateurs as soon as possible."
"They arrived drunk"
Transport Minister Miri Regev said, "140 terrorism supporters. I can promise you they didn't bring any humanitarian aid whatsoever. They arrived drunk on a lot of alcohol, with the deliberate intention of violating our sovereignty."
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar attacked Ben-Gvir, "You have knowingly caused harm to this country with this disgraceful spectacle – and it is not the first time. You have squandered the enormous, professional, and successful efforts of many, many people – from IDF soldiers to Foreign Ministry staff and many others. No, you are not the face of Israel."
Italy also announced shortly before that Ben-Gvir's conduct toward the flotilla activists was "unacceptable," and that the Israeli ambassador would be formally summoned to provide explanations for the events that took place.
"Degrading treatment"
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posted on X, "The images of Minister Ben-Gvir are unacceptable. It is intolerable that these demonstrators – among them many Italian citizens – should be subjected to treatment that is degrading to human dignity. The Italian government is taking immediate action, at the highest institutional levels, to secure all measures needed to obtain the immediate release of the Italian citizens involved.
"Furthermore, we demand an apology for the treatment given to these demonstrators and for the utter contempt shown toward the Italian government's explicit requests. For these reasons, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will immediately summon the Israeli ambassador to demand official explanations for the events that took place."
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir responded to the uproar his published videos had stirred, "There are those in the government who still don't understand how to deal with terrorism supporters. The foreign minister of Israel is expected to understand that Israel has stopped being a pushover. Whoever comes to our territory to support terrorism and identify with Hamas will get what's coming to them – and we will not turn the other cheek."
