France Bans Itamar Ben-Gvir After Footage Of Taunting Gaza Flotilla Activists

France banned Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering French territory after footage of him taunting detained activists from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla triggered international condemnation.

“France has banned Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from its territory after footage of him taunting abducted flotilla activists earlier in the week triggered international condemnation”

Al Jazeera

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said, "As from today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory," and linked the decision to "reprehensible actions" toward "French and European citizens" on the flotilla.

Al Jazeera

The Times of Israel reported that Israeli forces arrested 430 people on board 50 ships in international waters on Tuesday to halt a flotilla of activists trying to break the blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Al Jazeera said the footage showed Ben-Gvir gloating as activists knelt on the floor, blindfolded, with their hands bound, at the Port of Ashdod.

The Times of Israel added that nearly all the activists were deported from Israel after the incident, while the Israel Prison Service denied allegations of abuse and said detainees were held "in accordance with the law" with "necessary and professional medical care."

Barrot also said, "We cannot tolerate French nationals being threatened, intimidated, or brutalized in this way," and called on the European Union to impose sanctions on Ben-Gvir.

The Times of Israel reported that Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced a five-year ban on Ben Gvir, calling him "a threat to public order," and said Italy pushed the European Union to adopt sanctions after Ben-Gvir’s video sparked an international outcry.

Al-Monitor

Al Jazeera reported that organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said freed activists had reported at least 15 cases of sexual abuse while in Israeli detention, including "humiliating strip searches, sexual taunting, groping and pulling of genitals, and multiple accounts of rape."

The United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, "We’re very concerned by these reports," while an Israeli prison service spokesperson told Al Jazeera that the allegations were "false and entirely without factual basis."

The Times of Israel said the Israel Prison Service denied the allegations and that several countries summoned Israeli ambassadors, while it also described clashes at the airport in Bilbao involving Spanish police and activists arriving from Turkey.

The flotilla’s stated aim was to break the Israeli blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza, which the Anadolu Ajansı report said has been in place since 2007.

“France bans Israeli Cabinet Minister Ben-Gvir over treatment of Gaza flotilla activists French foreign minister urges EU sanctions after incidents involving European citizens aboard Global Sumud flotilla Melike Pala 23 May 2026•Update: 23 May 2026 BRUSSELS France has banned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering French territory over what Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described as “unacceptable actions” against activists aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla”

Anadolu Ajansı

Anadolu Ajansı said the flotilla carried 428 people from 44 countries, departing Thursday from Marmaris, Türkiye, and France’s ban was framed as a response to incidents involving French and European citizens aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla.

The Times of Israel reported that Ben-Gvir’s video and the subsequent outcry led to international condemnation and that "nearly all the activists have since beendeportedfrom Israel," while it described the Israel Prison Service’s denial of abuse allegations.

Los Angeles Times reported that the flotilla of 50 boats was intercepted in international waters some 250 miles off the coast of Israel, and said detained activists accused Israeli forces of mistreatment including beatings, use of tasers and attack dogs.

Against that backdrop, France’s Barrot said the ban would be paired with a European Union push for sanctions, while the Times of Israel reported that Spain urged the EU to sanction Ben-Gvir and that Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called Israel’s Gaza campaign a "genocide"—a charge Israel firmly denies.