Anand says Canadians subject to 'appalling abuse' after flotilla detained by Israel
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Friday she had received details from her officials in Turkey about "appalling abuse" suffered by Canadians who were on board a flotilla trying to reach Gaza.
She said in a social media post the 12 Canadians on the Global Sumud Flotilla have now all arrived in Turkey and are receiving "urgent medical care."
"Canada unequivocally condemns the grave mistreatment of Canadians in Israel. Those responsible for this egregious abuse must be held accountable," Anand said.
"We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available."
Anand provided no details of the accounts of abuse, and Israeli prison officials have denied any abuse.
A Global Affairs Canada official confirmed Israeli Ambassador Iddo Moed did meet with Canadian officials in Ottawa after he was summoned to do so. The official provided no details of who he met with or when the meeting took place. The Israeli embassy told The Canadian Press on Thursday the ambassador had no comment about the summons.
The Canadians were among 420 individuals on 41 boats intercepted by Israel as they attempted to bring a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza amid Israel's restrictions.
There has been widespread outcry after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir published video of him taunting the activists, while they were kneeling, faces to the ground, with their hands bound.
Canada joined several other countries, including France, Italy and Netherlands in condemning the actions and summoning ambassadors.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he ordered the activists' deportation “as soon as possible” and rebuked Ben-Gvir over the video. Netanyahu said although Israel has every right to stop “provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters,” Ben-Gvir's treatment of the activists was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms.”
Israel has also called the flotilla “a PR stunt at the service of Hamas” with no real intent to deliver aid to Gaza.
Israeli prison officials denied any abusive behaviour as some flotilla members began speaking publicly about the events on the boats.
Two Italian citizens who had returned to Italy Thursday said they had been beaten and mistreated.
Dario Carotenuto, an Italian lawmaker, said he experienced the “longest seconds” of his life when Israeli forces pointed rifles at activists inside a detention facility.
“They kicked me in the legs and punched me in the face,” said Alessandro Mantovani, an Italian newspaper journalist.
Zivan Freidin, a spokesperson for the Israeli Prison Service, said the allegations were “false and entirely without factual basis."
Aid groups say Israel has blocked assistance from reaching Gaza, where a humanitarian crisis has erupted following the extended war launched by Israel after the Hamas attack in Oct. 2023.
The Israeli Defense Force denies blocking aid, insisting it has only blocked assistance from organizations which refused to provide security information about their workers and partnerships. The IDF, in a statement on its website, said aid is entering Gaza at the highest rate since the latest war began, and accused Hamas of infiltrating some aid organizations.
This week, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions against several European activists aboard the flotilla, which U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called “pro-terror." Last year, Israeli authorities blocked a similar attempt involving some 500 activists.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2026.
— With files from The Associated Press
By Canadian Press Staff | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.