Israeli Right Wing Minister Urges Global Activist Sumud Flotilla To Be Imprisoned Instead Of Deported

Itamar Ben-Gvir. (Wikimedia Commons/DedaSasha)

JAKARTA - National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Israel should imprison humanitarian fleet activists who have been detained for several months, instead of deporting them back to their home countries.

More than 470 activists were detained by the Israeli Navy aboard 42 ships belonging to Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) from Wednesday night to Thursday.

Israel's foreign ministry previously stated four people had been deported, while the rest were in the deportation process.

Ben Gvir, who leads the ultranationalist Otzma Baddit, said in a video statement Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made a "mistake" by deporting them.

"I think they should be detained here for several months in Israeli prisons, so they get used to the smell of the terrorist wing," he said, quoted from The Times of Israel Oct. 3.

He argues PM Netanyahu could not constantly repatriate them to their home country, "because this brings them back again and again."

Quoted from Daily Sabah, the Israeli far-right politician confronted some of them directly, calling the group "terrorist", but its voice sank by shouts of "Freedom for Palestine" from activists.

The four activists who were deported came from Italy, while hundreds were still being held, quoted from Anadolu.

In a statement at social media company X, the ministry wrote "the procedure is ongoing to complete the deportation of the participants", without revealing the names of those who had been deported.

החלטת ראש הממשלה לאפשר לתומכי הטרור שבמשט לחזור לארצותיהם - בטעות יסודה.

אני חושב שחייבים להשאיר אותם כמה חודשים כאן בכלא הישראלי, כדי שהם יריחו את הריח של אגף המחבלים.

הרי לא יכול להיות מצב שבו ראש הממשלה שולח אותם עוד פעם ועוד פעם ועוד פעם לארצותיהם - והשליחה הזו גורמת לכך… pic.twitter.com/2jnz04QwZ5

— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) October 3, 2025

"Let's watch it"

"Let's say it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good thing.

"Let's say it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea. It's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea.