list 2 of 3Several nations summon Israeli envoys as Ben-Gvir taunts flotilla activistslist 3 of 3Gaza flotilla activists allege abuse, sexual assault in Israeli detentionend of listThe statement contained a read-out of a phone call between Carney and Israeli President Isaac Herzog earlier in the day.
The Liberal prime minister called for an independent investigation into Israeli mistreatment, but stopped short of penalties.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has expressed indignation at the Israeli government’s “appalling” treatment of participants in a humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza.But in a news release on Monday, he declined to announce any new forms of pressure on Israel’s government.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3France bans Ben-Gvir: Which other Israeli leaders have been penalised?list 2 of 3Several nations summon Israeli envoys as Ben-Gvir taunts flotilla activistslist 3 of 3Gaza flotilla activists allege abuse, sexual assault in Israeli detentionend of listThe statement contained a read-out of a phone call between Carney and Israeli President Isaac Herzog earlier in the day. During their talk, Carney demanded an independent investigation into the mistreatment of the activists, who were bound, taunted and forced to kneel on the ground in a video shared last week by Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir.“The Prime Minister reiterated that the appalling treatment of civilians, including Canadian citizens, aboard the Gaza-bound flotilla was unacceptable,” the statement said.Carney also used the phone call to reaffirm that Canada opposes the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, as well as the rampant violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians.The video shared by Ben-Gvir has sparked global backlash, with several countries issuing formal statements of condemnation.A handful took further action. On Saturday, for instance, France banned Ben-Gvir from entering its territory, citing his “unspeakable actions towards French and European citizens who were passengers on the Global Sumud Flotilla”.Poland has likewise pursued a five-year ban against Ben-Gvir. Leaders in France and Italy have also called on the European Union to sanction the Israeli minister.But Israel has rarely faced serious pressure or consequences beyond rhetoric, despite widespread reports about Israeli settlers and military members attacking and killing Palestinians and pro-Palestinian advocates.Human rights advocates have highlighted evidence of torture and inhumane conditions in Israeli prisons.Groups like Amnesty International and B’Tselem have accused Israel of implementing a system of apartheid to discriminate against Palestinians and dispossess them of their land.The Global Sumud Flotilla was organised as part of an effort to confront Israeli abuses in Gaza, where Israel has led a genocidal war against Palestinians since October 2023.More than 75,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, with survivors suffering from malnutrition and displacement. In Monday’s statement, Carney called the humanitarian situation in Gaza “catastrophic”.Activists have repeatedly attempted to reach Gaza to deliver humanitarian supplies, but they have so far been intercepted by Israeli forces, which have blockaded Gaza’s access to the outside world.A new mission was launched in the Mediterranean Sea on April 12, involving a reported 70 boats and 3,000 participants.Amnesty International Australia estimates that nearly 430 people were detained when Israeli forces boarded their vessels in international waters, in apparent defiance of international law.Activists said they experienced abuse during their detention. Their accounts reflect those of previous flotilla members, who also alleged mistreatment and abuse in Israeli custody. At least 15 have reported sexual assault, including rape.Israel has asserted, without any evidence, that the activists were inspired by the Palestinian armed group Hamas. In posting his video of the activists, Ben-Gvir described them as “supporters of terrorism”.But leaders like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have warned that Israel’s actions “violate human dignity”. Meloni and others have summoned their local Israeli ambassadors to express their concern.In a separat
7 minutes agoDavid GrittenGetty ImagesSome of the flotilla activists arriving in Rome on ThursdayPro-Palestinian activists who were deported after their Gaza-bound aid flotilla was intercepted in international waters by Israeli forces have alleged they were subjected to abuse while held in detention.Canada said it had received information detailing "appalling abuse" of its citizens, while Germany and Spain confirmed that a number of their citizens had injuries.The flotilla's organisers alleged there were "at least 15 cases of sexual assaults" while other people who were detained said they were beaten and mistreated.The BBC has not been able to independently verify the allegations. Israel's prison service has dismissed them as false, saying all detainees were "held in accordance with the law".The Israeli military has also been contacted for comment.Warning: This article contains details of alleged abuse some may find distressingMore than 50 boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) set sail from Turkey last week, planning to breach Israel's maritime blockade of Gaza and deliver food and medical aid.Israel's government dismissed the action as a "PR stunt" serving the Palestinian armed group Hamas, and ordered commandos to board the boats west of Cyprus on Monday and Tuesday.The detained activists were transferred to Israeli vessels and taken to an Israeli prison after arriving at the port of Ashdod.On Thursday, 422 people from 41 countries were deported by Israel. Many have since arrived home.Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said on Friday that she had "received information from my officials which details the appalling abuse of Canadians who were detained in Israel", without giving further details.She added: "Canada unequivocally condemns the grave mistreatment of Canadians in Israel. Those responsible for this egregious abuse must be held accountable."A spokesperson for Germany's foreign ministry said its consular officials had met German activists on arrival in Istanbul on Thursday and reported that a number were injured.Humane treatment of German nationals was an "absolute priority", they added. "We naturally expect a full explanation, as some of the allegations that have been made are serious."Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told reporters that four of the 44 Spanish activists had received medical treatment for injuries.Organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla also said on Friday: "At least 15 cases of sexual assaults, including rape. Shot with rubber bullets at close range. Tens of people's bones broken."In a statement, Israel's prison service said various allegations were "false and entirely without factual basis"."All prisoners and detainees are held in accordance with the law, with full regard for their basic rights and under the supervision of professional and trained prison staff," it said."Medical care is provided according to professional medical judgment and in accordance with ministry of health guidelines."A number of activists also detailed allegations when they spoke to reporters after being deported.After returning to Paris on Friday, French activist Meriem Hadjal told journalists she was "subjected to sexual violence and groping".She added: "I was hit, slapped, touched, kneed in the ribs, my hair was pulled. I was traumatised for hours."Two Italians among the activists deported on Thursday - Alessandro Mantovani, a journalist for the newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano, and Dario Carotenuto, a member of parliament for the Five Star Movement - told reporters about their treatment upon arrival in Rome.Mantovani said he was beaten up by Israeli forces after being taken to a detention facility made from shipping containers, which he described as a "place of terror".At Istanbul airport, British activist Richard Johan Anderson told reporters: "We've been beaten, tortured, systematically dehumanised, and... we have just had a little taste of what the Palestinians go through every day."Adalah, an Israel-based
NewsFeedIrish activist Caitriona Graham, who was filmed being dragged by her hair and forced to the ground by Israeli forces, recounted the violent interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in an interview with Al Jazeera after being deported to Istanbul.Published On 22 May 2026
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