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EU's Costa 'appalled' by Israeli minister's treatment of flotilla members - Headlines news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
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EU's Costa 'appalled' by Israeli minister's treatment of flotilla members

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on May 21, 2026

1 min read

· Last updated: May 21, 2026

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EU's Costa Condemns Israeli Minister's Actions Toward Gaza Flotilla Members

European Response to Gaza Flotilla Incident

Statement from European Council President Antonio Costa

May 21 (Reuters) - European Council President Antonio Costa on Thursday said he was "appalled" by the treatment of aid flotilla members attempting to enter Gaza by Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir.

Details of the Incident

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.

Costa's Reaction and Call for Action

"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.

Reporting and Editorial Credits

(Reporting by Rhea Rose Abraham in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

Key Takeaways

  • Costa’s rebuke adds to widespread European condemnation of Ben‑Gvir’s video showing bound, kneeling activists — diplomatic responses include summons of ambassadors and strong public statements by EU governments and officials (apnews.com)
  • The European Commission emphasized that detainees—including EU citizens—must be treated with dignity and in line with international law (globalbankingandfinance.com)
  • Reactions span from Spain’s Sánchez (demanding EU-wide sanctions) to Ireland and other EU members, all denouncing the humiliation and violation of human dignity depicted in the footage (cadenaser.com)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

Who criticized the treatment of Gaza-bound aid flotilla members?
European Council President Antonio Costa criticized the treatment of aid flotilla members by Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir.
What did video footage reveal about the incident?
Video showed Israeli police forcing activists from the aid flotilla to kneel on the ground with their hands tied as Ben-Gvir observed.
What specific action did Costa call for regarding the flotilla members?
Costa called for the immediate release of the flotilla members detained by Israeli authorities.
Through which platform did Costa express his condemnation?
Costa expressed his condemnation via a statement on the social media website X.
Who reported and edited the news on this incident?
The incident was reported by Rhea Rose Abraham and edited by Christian Schmollinger.

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