• Israeli minister posts controversial video of detained flotilla activists.
• International leaders condemn treatment of activists, calling for their release.
• Netanyahu rebukes Ben Gvir for actions not aligned with Israel's values.
• Legal groups criticize Israel's policy as abuse toward activists.

On May 20, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir posted a video showing around 430 detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla kneeling with their hands tied, provoking widespread condemnation. The video features Ben Gvir, flanked by police, waving an Israeli flag and addressing the activists, describing them as "landlords" of Israel, sparking outrage from various political leaders and human rights groups, according to SCMP, Le Monde, and CBS News.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the treatment of detained activists, stating it violated human dignity and demanding their release. The reaction from Italy was echoed by France, where Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot summoned the Israeli ambassador to express their indignation over the incident. Meloni also called for apologies from Israel regarding its handling of Italian nationals in the flotilla, citing the actions as “unacceptable,” according to LA Times, SCMP, and CBS News.

Amid the international outcry, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuked Ben Gvir, asserting that while Israel has the right to stop what he described as "provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters," the treatment depicted in Ben Gvir's videos does not reflect Israel's values and norms. Netanyahu instructed that the detained activists be deported as swiftly as possible, highlighting a division within Israeli leadership regarding how to handle such situations, according to Le Monde and LA Times.

Legal group Adalah has spoken out against what it describes as a "criminal policy of abuse and humiliation" towards the activists, claiming that this is part of a pattern of ill-treatment during past flotilla missions that have seen little accountability. Adalah reiterated demands for the immediate release of the detainees and heightened international scrutiny of Israel's actions towards activists, according to CBS News and LA Times.

The flotilla, which included activists from over 40 countries, aims to challenge Israel's long-standing blockade of Gaza, a measure that has attracted both praise and criticism internationally. Israeli authorities characterized the flotilla as a "PR stunt" designed to support Hamas, while the situation continues to highlight the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza exacerbated by military operations since the October 7 attacks, according to Le Monde and SCMP.