'Truly appalled': World reacts after Israeli minister posts video of bound Gaza flotilla activists

Israel’s far-right national security minister posted a video on Wednesday showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground, sparking international condemnation. The video, shared on X by firebrand minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, was published after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla’s vessels at sea and began detaining hundreds of foreign activists at the southern port of Ashdod. The video drew swift international uproar and Ben-Gvir himself was criticised by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. Here’s what world leaders had to say about the video. European Council President Antonio Costa said he was “appalled” by the treatment of aid flotilla members attempting to enter Gaza by Ben-Gvir. “Appalled by the treatment of flotilla members by Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir. This behaviour is completely unacceptable. We call for their immediate release,” Costa said in a statement on social media website X. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the treatment of the Global Sumud flotilla activists, amongst them EU citizens, was “degrading and wrong”. “Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir’s conduct is unbecoming of anyone holding office in a democracy,” she added. Images showing Ben-Gvir taunting members of the Gaza-bound aid flotilla are unacceptable, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said. “We will not tolerate anyone mistreating our citizens,” Sanchez said on X, adding his government would push for Ben-Gvir’s ban to enter Spain to be extended to the whole European Union urgently. British foreign minister Yvette Cooper said she was “truly appalled” by the video. In a statement on X, Cooper said Britain was in contact with the families of several British nationals involved and was providing consular support. “We have demanded an explanation from the Israeli authorities and made clear their obligations to protect the rights of our citizens and all those involved,” Cooper