EU officials criticize Israeli minister's treatment of flotilla members

BRUSSELS - European Council President Antonio Costa on Thursday said he was "appalled" by the treatment of aid flotilla members attempting to enter Gaza by Israel's far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Video on Wednesday showed Israeli police forced activists who were aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla to kneel on the ground in rows with their hands tied behind their backs as Ben-Gvir looked on and commented about them.

"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 also criticised Ben-Gvir.

"The treatment of the Global Sumud flotilla activists, amongst them EU citizens, was degrading and wrong," Kallas said in a statement.

"Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir’s conduct is unbecoming of anyone holding office in a democracy," she added.