Belgium will summon the Israeli ambassador over a “deeply disturbing” video showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla kneeling with their hands tied, Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Wednesday, calling for their immediate release.
Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir posted the video showing the activists kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground, sparking international condemnation.
It was published after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla’s vessels at sea and began detaining hundreds of foreign activists at the southern port of Ashdod.
“Belgian citizens are among those detained. This situation is unacceptable. It violates the most basic standards of human dignity. All detainees must be treated with dignity and released without delay,” Prevot wrote on X.
The Belgian minister said he asked the Israeli envoy to Belgium be summoned “to express our indignation and ask for explanations”.
He also criticised the “catastrophic” humanitarian situation in Gaza, which “demands the full attention of the international community”.
During the war in Gaza, the Palestinian territory suffered severe shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies, with Israel at times halting aid deliveries entirely.
Canada slams Israel’s ‘absolutely unacceptable’ treatment of Gaza activists
Canada’s foreign minister slammed Israel on Wednesday over “deeply troubling and absolutely unacceptable” footage of detained activists from an intercepted Gaza-bound flotilla.
“I have directed my officials to summon the Israeli ambassador regarding the mistreatment of civilians aboard the flotilla. What we’ve seen, including the video shared by Itamar Ben Gvir, is deeply troubling and absolutely unacceptable,” Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand said, referring to Israel’s far-right national security chief.
Germany says treatment of Gaza flotilla activists ‘wholly unacceptable’
Germany’s ambassador to Israel on Wednesday labelled as “wholly unacceptable” far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s treatment of detained activists on an intercepted Gaza-bound flotilla.
“It is good to hear many Israeli voices — including the foreign minister — call out in all clarity Minister Ben Gvir’s treatment of the detainees for what it is: wholly unacceptable and incompatible with the basic values of our countries,” Steffen Seibert wrote on X.
Greece condemns Israel’s treatment of Gaza flotilla activists
Greece’s foreign ministry on Wednesday condemned Israel’s far-right national security minister for apparently mocking activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla detained by Israeli forces.
“The conduct of the Israeli Minister of National Security, which targeted citizens participating in the “Global Sumud Flotilla,” is unacceptable and absolutely condemnable,” the ministry said in a statement.
The statement called on Israel to “immediately release” detained Greek citizens and said a formal protest had been lodged at the instruction of Foreign MInister Giorgos Gerapetritis.
The video footage shared on X by firebrand minister Itamar Ben Gvir shows dozens of activists on the deck of a military boat kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground.
It was published after Israeli forces on Monday intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla at sea and detained hundreds of foreign activists at the southern port of Ashdod.
Greek activists who were part of the flotilla of around 50 vessels aiming to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza have said 19 Greeks were detained in the operation.
Hamas, which controls under half of Gaza and whose attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 sparked the war in the Palestinian territory, condemned the footage, as did several other European governments.