Ireland ‘appalled and shocked’ by video of Israeli treatment of Gaza flotilla activists

The Irish foreign minister on Wednesday expressed concern over video footage showing inappropriate Israeli treatment of detained Global Sumud Flotilla activists and demanded their immediate release.

“I am appalled and shocked by the video footage circulated by Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, in which illegally detained participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla, including Irish citizens, are not in any way being treated with appropriate dignity or respect,” Helen McEntee said in a statement.

She noted that the Irish Embassy in Israel has demanded immediate assurances that the welfare and well-being of all Irish citizens are safeguarded and that they are afforded all the protections that they are entitled to under international law.

“I have also demanded their immediate release,” McEntee said, adding that she can assure their families and loved ones that Irish citizens will receive all necessary consular assistance and support as soon as they are granted access to them.

The top diplomat’s statement came after Ben-Gvir posted a video with the caption, ‘Welcome to Israel,’ showing detained activists, abducted by Israeli forces in international waters, being zip-tied and forced to kneel.

The Global Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla said Tuesday that all 50 vessels in its aid convoy had been seized by Israel. Together, they were carrying 428 people from 44 countries after departing from Marmaris, Türkiye, in a new attempt to break the illegal Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza since 2007.