Arab-Islamic states condemn Israeli minister Ben-Gvir over Gaza flotilla detention

Some detainees have alleged physical assault during detention

FILE PHOTO: Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir speaks to members of the media on the day the Supreme Court hears a petition seeking to force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to remove him, in Jerusalem, Apr 15, 2026. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo

The foreign ministers of the Group of Eight Arab-Islamic states on Sunday strongly condemned the actions of far-right Israeli police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir towards participants in the Gaza-bound flotilla while they were in Israeli detention.

Governments have expressed outrage after Ben-Gvir posted a video in which he taunted activists who were pinned to the ground. Some of the detainees, who had intended to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza, later alleged that they were physically assaulted in detention, which Israel's prison service denied.

The eight nations, which include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan, said in a statement: "Ben-Gvir's deliberate public humiliation of detainees is a disgraceful assault on human dignity and a clear violation of Israel's obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and international human rights law."