Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said although Israel has every right to stop "provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters," the way that Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists "is not in line with Israel's values and norms".
Ben-Gvir on Wednesday released the videos of himself walking among some of the approximately 430 detainees, after their arrival on navy ships.
One video shows activists with their hands tied behind their backs kneeling with their heads touching the floor inside what appears to be a makeshift detention area at Ashdod port and on the deck of a ship.
Ben-Gvir waved a large Israeli flag and told the detainees: "Welcome to Israel, we are the landlords".
One handcuffed activist, who was shown in the video shouting "Free Palestine" as Ben-Gvir walked past, was immediately pushed to the ground by security personnel.
"They came as big heroes," Ben-Gvir says in another video as he walks by the activists while carrying the flag.
"Look at them now. See how they look now, not heroes and not anything."
"I say to Prime Minister Netanyahu, give them to me for a long long time, give them to us for the terrorist prisons, that's what it should look like," Ben-Gvir said.
Netanyahu said that he has given instructions that the activists be deported "as soon as possible".
Ben-Gvir drew the ire of Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who publicly chastised his fellow minister on X, posting that "you knowingly caused harm to our State in this disgraceful display" and that he had "undone tremendous, professional and successful efforts made by so many people."
"No, you are not the face of Israel," Sa'ar wrote.
Ben-Gvir shot back at Sa'ar in the Israeli parliament, accusing him of "bowing to the terrorists" which he called "a disgrace and a shame".
He said that any Israeli apology to the activists would send a message of "weakness," "submission" and "surrender".
"Is he worried about the images? I am worried about the security of the residents of the state of Israel, and I care about them," Ben-Gvir said.
Adalah, an Israel-based legal advocacy group, accused Israeli authorities of "employing a criminal policy of abuse and humiliation against activists".
Adalah said in a statement that this followed similar patterns of ill-treatment by Israeli authorities against activists in previous flotilla missions "for which Israel faced zero accountability".
The group said that its lawyers and other volunteers were providing legal advice to activists at Ashdod and were demanding their immediate release.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Ben-Gvir's conduct toward the flotilla activists was "inadmissible".
Italy had earlier said its citizens were onboard, including a member of parliament and a journalist.
Italy expects an apology from Israel and it will summon the Israeli ambassador for an explanation, Meloni said in a strongly worded statement with her foreign minister Antonio Tajani.
South Korean citizens were also among those detained by Israeli naval forces, President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday, calling Israel's actions "way out of line".
"What is the legal basis (for the arrests)? Is it Israeli territorial waters?" Lee questioned, adding: "Is that Israeli land? If there is conflict, can they seize and detain third-country vessels?"
Activists aboard past flotillas that were intercepted were deported after being detained.
The flotilla's organisers say participants hailed from 40 countries, aboard 50 vessels.
with AP
