ROME, June 8 - Italian prosecutors have placed Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir under formal investigation in connection with the treatment of activists who took part in a Gaza-bound flotilla last month, a judicial source said on Monday. The source, who asked not to be named, confirmed earlier reports by Italian news agencies and said the minister is being probed on suspicion of torture and kidnapping of Italian citizens who were among the activists.
Under Italian procedure, if prosecutors conclude there is sufficient basis for criminal charges they could file a formal request for trial. The judicial source did not provide further details about the progress or timeline of the inquiry.
Ben-Gvir responded to the Italian investigation with a written statement: "I will not shy away from one investigation or another and will continue to stand proudly alongside our fighters." The minister had come under intensifying international scrutiny after posting a video late in May showing detained Gaza activists kneeling with their hands bound following an Israeli interception of the aid flotilla in international waters.
Organisers of the flotilla said Israeli police detained 430 activists, and that among them were citizens of Italy and South Korea. In the footage Ben-Gvir shared on X, officers are seen forcing an activist to the ground after she chanted "Free, free Palestine."
Rome has reacted strongly to the footage and the detentions. The government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the treatment of the activists as "unacceptable" and summoned the Israeli ambassador to seek an explanation. Italy has also asked the European Union to consider discussing sanctions specifically against Ben-Gvir. Separately, France has moved to ban the minister from entering its territory.
Organisers of the flotilla said their stated aim was to try to break Israel's blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian assistance. The article's source notes that aid organisations report humanitarian supplies remain in short supply, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that has been in place since October 2025 and which includes guarantees of increased aid. Israel maintains that its naval blockade on Gaza is lawful.
Legal and diplomatic stakes
The investigation raises the prospect of a criminal proceeding in Italy if prosecutors decide charges are supported by the evidence. Alongside the legal dimension, governments involved have already taken diplomatic steps: summoning envoys, debating sanctions at the EU level and imposing travel bans.
Context and immediate effects
Details remain limited to what Italian authorities and the flotilla organisers have reported. The inquiry centers on allegations tied to the conduct of security personnel during and after the maritime interception and on whether actions taken against Italian citizens could amount to criminal offences under Italian law.