“A place of terror” — that is how an activist detained by Israeli soldiers after the interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla earlier this month described his time in Israeli custody, as accounts from released detainees sparked international outrage over their treatment.

“Welcome to Israel. This is what they said. They beat us up and said ‘welcome to Israel’,” said Alessandro Mantovani, an Italian journalist who arrived back in Italy following global outrage over the treatment of the detainees in Israeli custody.

In a video posted by Al Jazeera, Mantovani described the detention facility as a “square of containers” where activists were held with little food and water.

“Basically, a square of containers where they kept people inside with bread and water, though not much water at first, according to what those who had been there for a day told me. We were one of the last boats they took, so there were people who had already been there for quite a while,” he said.

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Mantovani further alleged that activists were assaulted upon entering the reception area.

“As soon as you enter the reception container, they beat you up. They really beat you up. They kicked me in the legs and punched me in the face. These people know what they’re doing, so I don’t have any marks on my face.”

Another Italian journalist, Dario Carotenuto, claimed that after the activists were detained, they were taken into what he described as a “panic room”, where they were allegedly assaulted by three men.

“There was even a panic room in which they gave us the shoes in our hands and we couldn’t even defend ourselves. We didn’t know we were entering this container. There were three people saying ‘welcome to Israel’, and there were three thugs who beat us savagely. I was punched in the eye. At some point, it seemed I couldn’t see anymore, and I was kicked all over,” he said.

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“Welcome to Israel, we are the landlords,” Ben-Gvir says in the video while waving a large Israeli flag. One handcuffed activist is heard shouting “Free Palestine” as Ben-Gvir walks by, before being immediately pushed to the ground by security personnel. “Good job,” Ben-Gvir says afterward.

In another video, the minister was seen mocking the detained activists.

“They came with a lot of pride, like great heroes. Look at them now. Look, see how they look now. Not heroes and nothing at all. Terror supporters,” Ben-Gvir said.

Israel’s foreign ministry later said that all activists had been released and deported. According to AP, the detainees were flown out of Israel from a civilian airport near the southern Israeli city of Eilat, citing the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, Adalah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also reportedly instructed that the activists be deported “as soon as possible,” while sharply criticising Ben-Gvir’s handling of the situation. Netanyahu said that although Israel had every right to stop what he described as “provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters,” the manner in which Ben-Gvir dealt with the activists was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms.”

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he had formally requested the European Union to sanction Ben-Gvir “for the unacceptable acts committed against the flotilla.”

“On behalf of the Italian Government, I have just formally requested the High Representative, Kaja Kallas, to include in the next discussion of the EU Foreign Ministers the adoption of sanctions against the Israeli National Security Minister Ben-Gvir for the unacceptable acts committed against the flotilla, seizing the activists in international waters and subjecting them to harassment and humiliation, in violation of the most basic human rights,” Tajani wrote on X.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also condemned the footage, calling it “unacceptable.” She said the treatment of activists violated human dignity.

“The images of the Israeli minister Ben Gvir are unacceptable. It is inadmissible that these demonstrators, including many Italian citizens, are subjected to this treatment that violates human dignity,” Meloni said.

She further said that her government was “immediately taking, at the highest institutional levels, all necessary steps to secure the immediate release of the Italian citizens involved.”

“Italy further demands an apology for the treatment reserved for these demonstrators and for the total contempt shown toward the explicit requests of the Italian Government,” she added.

Meloni added that Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation would summon the Israeli ambassador to seek formal clarifications regarding the incident.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she was “truly appalled” by the videos and confirmed that the British government was in contact with the families of the British nationals involved. She added that the UK had demanded an explanation from Israeli authorities.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also condemned the incident, calling it “unacceptable.”

“We will not tolerate anyone mistreating our citizens,” Sánchez said, adding that Spain would push the European Union to sanction Ben-Gvir, similar to Spain’s existing ban on the minister entering the country.

Canada, Portugal, and Italy also said they would summon Israeli representatives in their respective countries over the incident, while France, Ireland, and Turkey joined in condemning the treatment of the activists.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also criticised Ben-Gvir’s actions.

“Flotilla was stupid stunt, but Ben Gvir betrayed the dignity of his nation,” Huckabee wrote on X.