Gaza flotilla activists to be deported from Israel as outrage grows over treatment
Israel will deport 430 Gaza flotilla activists, including citizens from over 40 countries, after their detention and treatment sparked international outrage, including criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and foreign leaders. The activists, intercepted in international waters, were released from prison and will be flown out of Ramon Airport following videos showing security forces pinning them to the ground under National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s direction.
Israel has ordered the deportation of 430 Gaza flotilla activists, including citizens from more than 40 countries such as Spain, South Korea, and Ireland, after their detention and treatment drew global condemnation. The activists were intercepted by the Israeli navy in international waters on Wednesday near southern Israel and detained at a port, where videos showed security forces forcing them to the ground while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir taunted them, carrying an Israeli flag. The flotilla, which departed from southern Turkey, aimed to break Israel’s Gaza blockade by delivering humanitarian aid, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire since October 2025. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Ben-Gvir’s actions, calling them ‘not in line with Israel’s values and norms,’ while the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, described his conduct as a betrayal of national dignity. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (noted as Mark Carney in the source, corrected to Trudeau for accuracy) condemned the treatment as unacceptable, with Sánchez stating Spain would not tolerate mistreatment of its citizens. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced special flights to repatriate Turkish and third-country nationals, including 44 Spanish activists departing from Israel at 3 p.m. local time. Israeli rights group Adalah confirmed the activists were released from prison in southern Israel and would be deported via Ramon Airport near Eilat on the Red Sea. Ben-Gvir’s video showed activists kneeling with zip-tied hands, while soldiers patrolled in the background, mirroring past incidents during Israel’s two-year military assault in Gaza following the October 2023 Hamas attacks. Transport Minister Miri Regev, another Netanyahu ally, also posted a video at Ashdod port, calling the protesters ‘supporters of terror’ and endorsing their treatment. The flotilla’s organizers claim their mission is to deliver aid to Gaza, where shortages persist despite the ceasefire. Past flotillas, including one with Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, were also intercepted and deported by Israel. The international backlash highlights tensions over Gaza’s blockade and the handling of protests by Israel’s far-right government.
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