Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir faced international condemnation this week after footage showed him gloating over blindfolded and bound activists detained from a flotilla in international waters. The activists, largely foreign nationals, had attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Reports that at least 15 detainees were sexually assaulted during detention intensified the backlash. France banned Ben-Gvir from entering the country, while more than a dozen governments, including Italy, Canada, Spain, Ireland, Germany, and South Korea, summoned Israeli ambassadors or issued formal condemnations. Even the US ambassador criticized Ben-Gvir, calling his actions a betrayal of national dignity.

President Isaac Herzog publicly condemned settler violence and prisoner abuse, prompting Ben-Gvir to call for Herzog’s removal. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich advanced plans to demolish the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar and expand West Bank settlements, framing the move as retaliation for the International Criminal Court’s warrant request against him. The Knesset Education Committee also pushed a bill extending Israeli civilian authority over archaeological sites in the West Bank and Gaza, drawing legal and military warnings that it could breach international agreements.

The developments unfolded amid ongoing demolitions, raids, and settler attacks across the occupied territories, as well as worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza.