Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has called in Israel’s ambassador to Australia to explain a “shocking” video of activists being taunted in detention.

Israel’s National Security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself berating detained pro-Palestine activists who were apprehended from a flotilla to Gaza.

The families of Australians who were on board and may have been detained have expressed fear for their loved ones, who have not been heard from.

In a clip posted to social media and captioned “Welcome to Israel”, Ben-Gvir is shown hurling abuse at the activists while their hands were tied behind their backs and faces on the ground.

“They came with a lot of pride like great heroes. Now look at them. See how they look now. Not heroes, terror supporters,” he says at one point, according to a translation by CNN.

Eleven Australians were among 400 people taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza before they were intercepted by Israeli forces at gunpoint in international waters on Tuesday.

Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video of the flotilla activists in detention. Photo: X (Itamar Ben-Gvir)

No one has heard from the Australians since, but a social media post by Ben-Gvir overnight showed him gloating over flotilla participants as they are forced to their knees by guards.

In the video, Ben-Gvir walks through a crowd of detainees kneeling with their heads on the floor as he smiles and berates a man whose hands are zip-tied.

It is unclear whether any of the Australians are in the video, but Jacinta McEwen — whose son Surya McEwen has taken part in the aid effort — said she was left horrified.

“I’m absolutely outraged that Ben-Gvir is bragging about basically torturing the participants,” she said.

“I’m really worried [Surya] is going to be hurt.”

McEwen has previously been detained by Israeli forces after taking part in other flotilla attempts.

Last time, he had his head slammed against a steel wall and suffered a dislocated shoulder, broken collarbone and broken ribs from being kicked in the chest, his mother said.

Wong has called for the release of the Australians after condemning the video posted by Ben-Gvir.

“The images we have seen posted by Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir — who Australia has sanctioned — are shocking and unacceptable,” she said on X.

“We condemn his actions and the degrading actions of Israeli authorities towards those detained.”

Wong told the Department of Foreign Affairs to call in Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, to reinforce her message.

Newman met departmental officials on Thursday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned their colleague’s actions as “not in line with Israel’s values”.

But a member of the flotilla’s Australian delegation, Subhi Awad, said this was not enough.

“[Wong] has not condemned the actual kidnapping of our people, she’s just said the abuse is bad,” he said.

“Well, everybody knows the abuse is bad, but clearly kidnapping them is also not only abhorrent but illegal.”

While McEwen remained concerned for her son, she was also proud of him.

“He’s very brave and he’s got a very big heart,” she said.

“He’s actually a big sweetie, he’s not an angry activist-y sort and he deeply cares for people.

“Our government should be making sure aid is getting in, but instead it’s our sons and daughters, like Surya, who are forced to do this.”

A report from Adalah Lawyers — a legal team acting for Arab minority rights in Israel — said the latest group of flotilla participants have passed the initial processing stage of Israeli immigration and are being transferred to Ketziot Prison.

The lawyers have received complaints from the activists. Among them were at least three people who have been hospitalised and released, about the use of tasers and rubber bullets, sexual harassment and degradation.

But Bernadette Zaydan, a lawyer representing some of the Australians, has yet to receive clarity from Israeli or Australian authorities.

“The Israeli military is not forthcoming with information and they seem to do this to intentionally waste our resources,” she said.

The Australian cohort is expected to face a tribunal before being deported, though the lawyers are struggling to find out where they could end up, Zaydan said.

The flotilla had been trying to reach Gaza by boat when they were intercepted and boarded by the Israeli Defence Forces off the coast of Turkey.

Netanyahu scolded Ben-Gvir for his actions and said the activists would be deported as soon as possible.

“Israel has every right to prevent provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters from entering our territorial waters and reaching Gaza,” he said.

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

Sa’ar also condemned his colleague, accusing him of undoing the work of the IDF and foreign ministry staff.

“You knowingly caused harm to our State in this disgraceful display — and not for the first time,” he said.

“No, you are not the face of Israel.”

Other countries, including Italy, Britain, Turkey, Greece and the US, have also criticised Ben-Gvir.

American ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee described Ben-Gvir’s actions as “despicable” and said he “betrayed [the] dignity of his nation”.

-with AAP