Foreign Minister Penny Wong has condemned a “shocking and unacceptable” video of an Israeli minister taunting bound and zip-tied detainees, including Australians.

The activists were ‌on the Global Sumud aid flotilla headed for Gaza that was intercepted by Israeli naval forces earlier this week.

There were 430 activists on board from 40 countries including Australia, Britain, South Korea and Italy.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir posted a video of himself that has been widely condemned by a number of nations.

It shows the far-right minister taunting the prisoners who are forced to kneel with their hands bound behind their backs as the Israeli national anthem plays on a loudspeaker

Others are dragged and pushed by Israeli officers, with the video captioned “Welcome to Israel”.

Wong condemned the actions of Ben-Gvir, who Australia has sanctioned, in a statement to the ABC.

She slammed the “degrading actions of Israeli authorities towards those detained”.

“I have asked Australia’s ambassador to Israel to make representations to Israel, reiterating our call for the release of the detained Australians and for Israel to ensure no ill treatment of any detainees and to act in line with international obligations,” Wong said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also rebuked Ben-Gvir.

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

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

“I have instructed the relevant authorities to deport the provocateurs as soon as possible.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said it was not the first time Ben-Gvir had “caused harm to our state” with a “disgraceful display”.

Israel’s naval vessel intercepts the flotilla earlier in the week. Photo: AAP

On Tuesday, Israel fired what it called warning shots at the flotilla before it was intercepted by the naval fleet.

The activists were detained at an Israeli port before being taken to prison, an ‌Israeli rights group and the flotilla’s organisers say.

The flotilla was making a renewed attempt to deliver aid to war-shattered Gaza after earlier missions ‌were also intercepted by Israel in international waters.

Organisers say they aim to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian assistance, something aid bodies say is still in short supply despite a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in place since October 2025 that includes guarantees of increased aid.

Activists aboard past flotillas ‌that were intercepted ‌by Israel were deported after ⁠being detained.

Ships from the flotilla had set sail for a third time on Thursday from ​southern Turkey.

Israel said all 430 activists on board the flotilla’s boats had been transferred to Israeli vessels and they would be allowed to meet their consular representatives after arriving in Israel.

The flotilla’s organisers say participants hailed from 40 countries including Australia aboard 50 vessels.

The activists are being held by Israel. Photo: X (Itamar Ben-Gvir)

Israel’s foreign ministry said on X on Monday that it “will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza”.

Israeli rights group ⁠Adalah said the activists had been “detained at Ashdod port” and “taken ‌into Israel against ​their will as Adalah attorneys enter for legal consultations”.

The flotilla’s organisers said the activists would be taken to Ketziot prison in ​Israel’s southern ‌Negev desert.

Without specifying how many Italian ​citizens were on board the flotilla, Italy’s foreign ministry said they were “expected to be transferred to a facility for identification and then allowed to depart”.

The foreign ministry said Italians, including a member of parliament and a journalist, had been on board.

Citizens of South ​Korea ​were also among those detained by Israeli naval forces, President ​Lee Jae-myung said on Wednesday, calling Israel’s actions “way out of line”.

Most of Gaza’s more than two million people have been displaced, many now living in bombed-out homes and makeshift tents pitched on open ground, roadsides, or atop the ruins of destroyed buildings.

Israel, ​which controls all access to the Gaza Strip, denies withholding supplies for its residents.

It has retained control of more than 60 per cent of ​Gaza since a US-backed ceasefire in October, ⁠with the militant group Hamas controlling a sliver of territory along the coast.

-with AAP