Gaza flotilla activists set for deportation from Israel as backlash grows

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists who were detained in Israel after their flotilla bringing symbolic aid to Gaza was intercepted are set to be deported from the country.

It follows international backlash in response to a video posted by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir showing himself taunting activists kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs.

On Thursday, the UK confirmed it had summoned Israel's top diplomat in Britain, charge d'affaires Daniela Grudsky Ekstein, over the incident.

In a statement, the UK Foreign Office said the move reflected the UK's "strong condemnation of [Ben Gvir's] conduct in taunting those involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla".

"We are also deeply concerned by the detention conditions depicted and have demanded an explanation from the Israeli authorities. We made clear their obligations to protect the rights of all those involved," the statement said.

There has also been condemnation from the US, France, Italy and Canada, and Ireland.

On Thursday, Italian politician Dario Carotenuto and journalist Alessandro Mantovani, who were part of the flotilla, were pictured arriving at Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, after first being flown to Athens.

Speaking to reporters, Carotenuto said they had been beaten after arriving in Israel.

Adalah, an Israel-based rights group representing the detainees, earlier said there had been "severe, widespread injuries", with at least three people taken to hospital for treatment.

Israeli authorities have not commented on the allegations.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said his country was conducting special flights that would bring Turkish citizens as well as third country participants to Turkey.

Spain's foreign minister said its diplomats in Israel had been informed that some 44 Spanish flotilla members would depart from Israel at 15:00 local time (12:00 BST).

Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Helen McEntee, said 15 Irish citizens who had been detained were expected to be flown to Turkey.

More than 50 boats taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) set sail from Turkey last Thursday carrying a token amount of aid. Four hundred and thirty people from more than 40 countries were on board.

Israel dismissed the action as a "PR stunt at the service of Hamas".

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.

Clare Azzougarh told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme her father Malcolm Ducker, who is in his early 70s, was one of the British citizens detained and she had no information on what was happening.

"We know they've been taken to Ketziot prison but otherwise we're completely in the dark."

Azzougarh added her father, who is a retired RAF pilot, was on a flotilla which was intercepted in October but this year's arrests were "indeed an escalation of extreme violence".

The British government's response "needs to be more than words" as they "ring rather hollow".

"We need actions, we need to know what representations they've made to the Israeli foreign ministry. We need to know what actions they're doing to get our loved ones out."