Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir has filmed himself visiting the captured members of the Gaza flotilla and deriding them as “terrorists.”
Footage released on X showed Ben Gvir in the detention centre where the members of the Global Sumud Flotilla were being held following their capture in international waters off the coast of Gaza on Wednesday.
“There are the flotilla terrorists, they are terrorists,” the settler leader can be heard saying as he gestures at the activists.
“Look at them, supporters of murderers. By the way, in their ships it was a total mess. They didn’t really come, not for the flotilla, not to help.”
Some of the flotilla’s activists can be heard chanting “Free Palestine” as they sit together on the ground.
Ben Gvir later tours the ship they were on with a police commissioner and claims there was little or no aid other than some baby formula and suggests the boat’s crew were instead having a “party” on board.
Israeli officials confirmed on Thursday that they had abducted 400 pro-Palestinian activists who were on board 41 ships in the flotilla, which was carrying aid to Gaza.
Authorities began deportation proceedings for activists on board without allowing them to receive legal advice, the legal and human rights organisation Adalah said.
“These proceedings were initiated without prior notice to their lawyers and while denying participants access to legal counsel,” the group said.
“This constitutes a grave violation of due process and a denial of the participants’ fundamental rights. Adalah will continue to seek access and will take legal action as necessary.”
On Friday morning, Israeli forces seized the only remaining aid vessel heading to besieged Gaza, intercepting it off the coast. Livestream footage showed soldiers storming the deck and taking control of the ship.
The Polish-flagged Marinette, carrying six crew members, was the final vessel of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which began its journey with 44 boats before Israeli forces shut them down one by one.
Protesters around the world have railed at Israel’s capture of the flotilla activists.
From Europe to Australia and South America, people took to the streets to condemn the treatment of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
Around 15,000 people marched through Barcelona in protest at Israel’s actions, according to the municipal police force in Spain’s second city, chanting slogans including “Gaza, you are not alone” and “Boycott Israel.”
Meanwhile, in Geneva police fired pepper spray and water cannons at protesters rallying in support of the flotilla.
Around 3,000 demonstrators also took to the front of the European Parliament building in Brussels, with one banner urging the EU to “break the siege” as smoke bombs and crackers were set off in the crowd.
[ SOURCE: PRESS TV ]
