Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir shared a video showing the harsh intervention of Israeli security forces against Sumud aid flotilla activists trying to break the Gaza blockade. In the video, activists are seen kneeling with their hands tied and faces down, and a female activist is forcibly pushed to the ground. These images parallel many reports and documents supporting allegations of human rights violations by Israel against Palestinian detainees and foreign activists. The Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem's 2024 report includes systematic ill-treatment and torture of Palestinian detainees. Additionally, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and United Nations special commission reports have presented similar allegations. Attacks and deaths of foreign activists, journalists, and humanitarian workers by Israeli soldiers and security forces have also been documented in the past. For example, the killing of nine activists on the Mavi Marmara ship in 2010 and the targeting of World Central Kitchen workers in Gaza in 2024 drew international attention. The video shared by Ben-Gvir himself is seen as a sign that Israeli forces act with impunity regarding such practices. Following the release of the video, countries such as Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands summoned Israeli ambassadors to express their reactions. These developments highlight the increasing international criticism and concerns regarding Israel's practices.
