US Boats to Gaza: testimonies of sexual assault and torture
JVL Introduction
Here is the latest update about the Freedom Flotilla, over 50 boats that set out to break the blockade of Gaza, highjacked by Israel on the high seas in violation of international law on 19th May.
Many hundreds of people on the boats were assaulted, violently arrested, kidnapped and taken to Israel illegally where they were further abused, including by the Israeli Security Minister Ben-Gvir (see video below).
According to the Guardian this has prompted an immediate and overwhelming flood of condemnation from around the world, including from the leaders of Italy and Canada, foreign ministers across Europe and – perhaps most unusually – the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, even forcing Netanyahu to say that Ben-Gvir’s behaviour was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms”.
Except that it clearly is…
Yvette Cooper is, we’re told, “truly appalled at the video” – but we’ve not yet heard of her summonsing the Israeli Amabassador and translating her disgust into anything Israel might bother to notice. Such as pushing for an arms embargo…
We’re not holding our breath.
RK
PS: added 23 May. In a short MEE video Peter Oborne compares the treatment of those on the flotilla to that of Palestinians in Israeli gaols.
This article was originally published by US Boats to Gaza on Fri 22 May 2026. Read the original here.
US Boats to Gaza: testimonies of sexual assault and torture
We demand our governments move beyond words
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I am truly shocked by Yvette Cooper’s reaction: “I am truly appalled at the video posted by Israeli Cabinet Minister Ben-Gvir heroically taunting those abducted from the Global Sumud Flotilla.”
Has she just emerged from a self-induced coma? Perhaps she could be made aware of Israel’s killing tally over the last 70+ years which has attracted a tad less international attention. Funny old world!
Ben Gvir falsely labels as terrorists, or supporters of terrorism, those citizens who bravely try to end the barbaric Israeli seige, war crimes and genocide. He does this in an attempt to legitimise the abusive punishments inflicted on them.
Yet doesn’t Yvette Cooper do the same thing here in the UK?
Our own false ‘Labour’ and worse than useless British government effectively legitimises truly terrorist Israel because of all around deep moral corruption.