Melike Pala
20 May 2026•Update: 20 May 2026
Belgium summoned Israel's ambassador on Wednesday for Israeli National Security Minister and coalition partner Itamar Ben-Gvir's "deeply disturbing" and "unacceptable" treatment of Gaza flotilla activists, demanding the immediate release of detainees.
"The images circulating of the treatment of the Flotilla activists are deeply disturbing. People held captive, bound, forced face down, and a government minister broadcasting their humiliation on social media," Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot wrote on the US social media platform X.
Prevot said Belgians were among those detained and described the situation as a violation of "the most basic standards of human dignity."
"All detainees must be treated with dignity and released without delay," he added.
The foreign minister said he requested that Israel's ambassador to Belgium be summoned "to express our indignation and ask for explanations."
"The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic and demands the full attention of the international community. Belgium is and will remain active in raising this attention through every diplomatic channel," he said.
The 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 the Gaza Strip since 2007.
