THE First Minister of Scotland has condemned videos of the activists detained in Israel posted by the country’s security minister.
More than 400 people, including two Scots and the sister of the president of Ireland, have been detained after taking part in an aid flotilla attempting to get past Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
The attempt, organised by the Global Sumud Flotilla, followed a similar bid in 2025 that also ended with Israel intercepting the vessels involved and detaining activists.
In a post on Twitter/X, John Swinney said: “I am deeply appalled by the conduct and rhetoric of Israeli cabinet minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in relation to the Global Sumud Flotilla.
"Scotland stands with the people of Gaza. We need to see more humanitarian aid coming in, and every effort must be made to secure lasting peace..”
The videos posted by Israeli national security minister, Ben-Gvir, show him taunting detained activists in what appeared to be a makeshift detention area at Ashdod, on Israel’s coast.
Some activists are shown with their hands tied behind their backs and kneeling with their heads touching the floor.
Ben Gvir’s videos drew condemnation from the international community and a rebuke from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said it was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms”.
However, he doubled-down on his actions, saying "Israel has stopped being a pushover".
“There are those in the government who still haven’t figured out how to behave toward supporters of terrorism,” Ben-Gvir wrote on X.
“Anyone who comes to our territory to support terrorism and identify with Hamas will get slapped, and we won’t turn the other cheek,” he added.
The UK sanctioned Ben-Gvir and his fellow minister Bezalel Smotrich, in June 2025, over the pair’s “repeated incitement of violence against Palestinian civilians”.
Independent MP Adnan Hussain called on the UK Government to summon the Israeli ambassador and demand the release of all those detained, in line with
