Far-right Israeli minister condemned for taunting handcuffed Gaza flotilla activists

The GSF's organisers said all the boats had been intercepted by Tuesday evening, with one managing to get within 80 nautical miles of the Palestinian territory.They accused Israel of an "illegal, high-seas aggression" and said Israeli commandos had opened fire at six boats, used water cannon, and intentionally rammed one vessel.The Israeli foreign ministry said no live ammunition was used and insisted it would "not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza".The ministry also said that all the activists had been transferred to Israeli vessels and that they would be allowed to meet their consular representatives after arriving in Israel.On Wednesday morning, Israeli rights group Adalah said the activists were being "taken into Israeli territory entirely against their will" and detained at Ashdod port."The legal team will challenge the legality of these detentions and demand the immediate release of all flotilla participants," it added.In the afternoon, Ben-Gvir – an ultra-nationalist who, as national security minister, oversees Israel's police force – posted a video on social media, captioned "Welcome to Israel", which showed him visiting a detention facility where the activists are being held.He is seen encouraging security personnel as they push down a female activist who shouts "Free, Free, Palestine" as he walks past her.The GSF said the activists on board were carrying food, baby formula and medical aid for Palestinians in Gaza, where living conditions are dire and most of the 2.1 million population is displaced, despite the ceasefire agreed by Israel and Hamas last October.The Israeli foreign ministry described Gaza as "flooded with aid", saying more than 1.5 million tonnes of aid and thousands of tonnes of medical supplies had entered the territory over the past seven months.The UN said last week that many displaced families in Gaza were still forced to shelter in overcrowded tents or severely damaged structures due to the absence of safer alternatives.Access to basic services remained limited, it added, with inconsistent clean water supplies and impaired waste management systems that could not meaningfully address public health concerns. Pests and rodents are also an issue.The UN said humanitarian operations continued to be undermined by restrictions on the import of critical spare parts, back-up generators and other equipment, as well as shortages of essential inputs, including fuel and engine oil.It noted that only 86% of the humanitarian supplies initially approved by Israeli authorities for entry into Gaza in April were ultimately offloaded at border crossings. The remaining supplies were returned to their points of origin.The Gaza war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza, during which more than 72,770 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.