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Hundreds of members from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were brought to Israel's Ashdod Port on Wednesday, as far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir released a video showing some of them shackled and forced to the ground, reported Xinhua. In the video, released by Ben-Gvir on his social media channels, dozens of activists are shown kneeling on the floor, bent forward with their heads down and hands bound behind their backs with zip ties, as the Israeli national anthem is played loudly over speakers. Adalah, a legal group for Arab minority rights in Israel, said the activists had been detained and "taken into Israel against their will." Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said on their website that all boats in their humanitarian convoy were intercepted after Israeli naval vessels surrounded them in international waters, about 250 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza. They said that 428 activists were "kidnapped" by Israel. Israel began intercepting the ships on Monday morning. Around midnight Tuesday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the activists "have been transferred to Israeli vessels and are making their way to Israel," adding that they would be allowed to meet their consular representatives. The ministry said Israel would not allow any breach of what it called the "lawful" naval blockade of Gaza. It described the flotilla as "a PR stunt at the service of Hamas." The flotilla set sail from Türkiye's Marmaris coast on Thursday in a third attempt to break Israel's blockade of Gaza and deliver aid to Palestinians in the war-devastated enclave. A previous flotilla, comprising about 20 boats and 175 activists, was intercepted by Israeli forces on April 30 near the southern Greek island of Crete. Two of the activists were detained for days before being released. Dozens of activists said they were mistreated, abused, and beaten by Israeli forces. The flotilla, carrying aid and medical staff, says it aims to draw international attention to dire conditions in Gaza, where much of the enclave lies in ruins. More than 72,000 people have been killed by Israeli fire and over 172,000 injured since October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities. Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Wednesday Canada will summon the Israeli ambassador, condemning the Israeli side's taunting of detained activists from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla. Anand made the remarks in response to a video posted on social media by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, which showed the taunting of dozens of detained activists kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs and their heads touching the floor. "This is a matter we take very, very seriously. It's a matter of humane treatment of civilians, and I can assure you that we are acting with absolute urgency," she said, calling the behavior "deeply troubling and absolutely unacceptable." Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said on their website that all boats in their humanitarian convoy were intercepted after Israeli naval vessels surrounded them in international waters, about 250 nautical miles (463 kilometers) from the coast of Gaza. They said that 428 activists were kidnapped by Israel. According to Canadian media reports, 12 Canadian humanitarian volunteers were among those detained by the Israeli military. The flotilla was then carrying humanitarian aid supplies to the Gaza Strip. Some detained Canadians launched a hunger strike during their detention to draw international attention to the catastrophic humanitarian plight facing civilians in Gaza, said the reports.
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