Italy, France and Canada have denounced as "unacceptable" the treatment of pro-Palestinian activists who were on board a Gaza-bound aid flotilla intercepted by Israeli naval forces.

Israel's ambassadors to the countries were summoned after far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video showing himself taunting activists kneeling on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs.

His actions also drew rare criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said they were "not in line with Israel's values".

A rights group representing the 430 participants from more than 40 countries who took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) demanded their release.

The flotilla, which carried a token amount of aid, set out to highlight the tough conditions for Palestinians in war-torn Gaza. Israel dismissed it as a "PR stunt at the service of Hamas".

More than 50 boats taking part in the flotilla set sail from Turkey last Thursday.

On Monday morning, armed Israeli naval commandos began intercepting the fleet in international waters west of Cyprus, about 250 nautical miles (460km) from the coast of Gaza, which is under an Israeli maritime blockade.

The GSF's organisers said all the boats had been intercepted by Tuesday evening, with one managing to get within 80 nautical miles of the Palestinian territory.

They accused Israel of an "illegal, high-seas aggression" and said Israeli commandos had opened fire at six boats, used water cannon, and intentionally rammed one vessel.

The Israeli foreign ministry said no live ammunition was used and insisted it would "not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza".

The ministry also said that all the activists had been transferred to Israeli vessels and that they would be allowed to meet their consular representatives after arriving in Israel.

On Wednesday morning, Israeli rights group Adalah said the activists were being "taken into Israeli territory entirely against their will" and detained at Ashdod port.

"The legal team will challenge the legality of these detentions and demand the immediate release of all flotilla participants," it added.

In the afternoon, Ben-Gvir – an ultra-nationalist who, as national security minister, oversees Israel's police force – posted a video on social media, captioned "Welcome to Israel". It showed him visiting a detention facility at the port of Ashdod where the activists are being held.

He is seen encouraging security personnel as they push down a female activist who shouts "Free, Free, Palestine" as he walks past her.

Ben-Gvir is then shown waving a large Israeli flag next to dozens of activists kneeling on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs. He tells them in Hebrew: "Welcome to Israel. We are the masters."

Other activists are shown kneeling on the deck of a ship as the Israeli national anthem is played.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said: "It is intolerable that these protesters, among whom there are many Italian citizens, are subjected to this treatment, which violates human dignity."

"Italy also demands an apology for the treatment inflicted on these demonstrators and for the total disregard shown towards the explicit requests of the Italian government," she added.

France's Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, expressed its "indignation" at Ben Gvir's actions and demanded an explanation.

"Whatever one thinks of this flotilla... our nationals who took part in it must be treated with respect and freed as soon as possible," he wrote on X.

His Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand, called the video "deeply troubling".

"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 told reporters.

Adalah said the footage demonstrated that Israel was "employing a criminal policy of abuse and humiliation against activists".

In an unusual step, Israel's foreign minister joined the condemnation of his cabinet colleague.

Addressing him on X, Gideon Saar wrote: "You knowingly caused harm to our state in this disgraceful display - and not for the first time."

Ben-Gvir hit back swiftly, saying: "The foreign minister is expected to understand that Israel has stopped being a pushover."

Prime Minister Netanyahu then issued his own rebuke.

"Israel has every right to prevent provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters from entering our territorial waters and reaching Gaza," a statement said.

"However, the way that Minister Ben Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists is not in line with Israel's values and norms."

The prime minister added that he had instructed Israeli authorities to "deport the provocateurs as soon as possible".

The GSF said the activists on board were carrying food, baby formula and medical aid for Palestinians in Gaza, where living conditions are dire and most of the 2.1 million population is displaced, despite the ceasefire agreed by Israel and Hamas last October.

The Israeli foreign ministry described Gaza as "flooded with aid", saying more than 1.5 million tonnes of aid and thousands of tonnes of medical supplies had entered the territory over the past seven months.

The UN said last week that many displaced families in Gaza were still forced to shelter in overcrowded tents or severely damaged structures due to the absence of safer alternatives.

Access to basic services remained limited, it added, with inconsistent clean water supplies and impaired waste management systems that could not meaningfully address public health concerns. Pests and rodents are also an issue.

The UN said humanitarian operations continued to be undermined by restrictions on the import of critical spare parts, back-up generators and other equipment, as well as shortages of essential inputs, including fuel and engine oil.

It noted that only 86% of the humanitarian supplies initially approved by Israeli authorities for entry into Gaza in April were ultimately offloaded at border crossings. The remaining supplies were returned to their points of origin.

The Gaza war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza, during which more than 72,770 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.