Members of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were treated "incredibly professionally” - until they came into contact with an Israeli Minister, a former IDF Major has claimed.
Far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir provoked international outrage when he published a video of him encouraging Israeli security forces to abuse the detainees.
Lawyers for the group, who were arrested in international waters by the Israeli Navy, said they had to be taken to hospital because of the violence.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a staunch ally of the country, described Minister Ben-Gvir’s behaviour as “despicable” and said he had “betrayed the dignity of his nation”.
On The Claire Byrne Show, retired IDF Major Dan Feferman said Israel’s Minister for National Security is considered a “clown” by most people in the country.
“The fact that he was basically forced himself to be appointed to this new made up title of ‘National Security Minister’, which is really just basically the minister of the police, was a nod by Netanyahu at the elections that he needed Ben-Gvir's handful of coalition seats in order to form a coalition while holding his nose the whole time,” he said.
“Ben-Gvir is doing this as a publicity stunt for a domestic audience.”
“He doesn't care about the international community.
“Everything he does is theatre; at the same time, of course, we have to remind ourselves that this entire flotilla is a piece of Hamas theatre - let's not kid ourselves.”
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Although he disagrees strongly with their cause, Major Feferman said he still believes that those detained on the flotilla should be treated “with dignity and respect” by those who arrest them.
“The entire flotilla is a media stunt caused to push this issue constantly into the media, to not actually get aid to the Palestinians,” he said.
“It's a media stunt caused to embarrass Israel; the first part of what Israel did was handle it incredibly professionally.”
Earlier this year, the World Food Programme said that 77% of the population of Gaza continue to face high levels of acute food insecurity.
It estimated that 100,000 children and 37,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women were suffering from acute malnutrition through last month.
However, Major Feferman does not believe such claims are reflective of the reality of life in Gaza.
“Even during the height of the war, it has now come out by almost every single serious international organization, including the UN, there was never serious famine or starvation in Gaza,” he said.
“Certainly not now during the ceasefire, when plenty of aid by international mechanisms, including Arab countries, including the United Nations, including aid organizations, is getting in with zero restrictions and zero problem.
“I'm not sure where you're getting this information from, but it's completely detached from the reality.”
I spoke to @NewstalkFM yesterday in relation to the illegally detained Irish participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
Europe must act now and respond decisively to repeated breaches of international law. pic.twitter.com/fGHUUE8yvo
— Helen McEntee TD (@HMcEntee) May 21, 2026
Major Feferman also defended the right of the IDF to intercept aid flotillas that attempt to break Israe’s naval blockade of Gaza.
“They should be treated respectfully, according to international law,” he said.
“Everything else of this story, with the exception of Minister Ben-Gvir's debacle, was done according to international law and international norms.
“You cannot send a flotilla to an active war zone with a naval blockade.
“You're still talking about an internationally recognised terrorist organization that has since 2006, when it took over the Gaza Strip forcibly, been smuggling arms into the Gaza Strip.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he was “appalled” by the behaviour of Minister Ben-Gvir and urged the EU to review the bloc’s trade agreement with Israel.
Main image: Minister Ben-Gvir and detainees.
