Italy launched an investigation against Israel's defense minister
Italy has launched an investigation against Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz for abusing Gaza aid flotilla activists. Read the full article on RT.com.
Rome's public prosecutor's office announced that Italy has opened its own investigation into the torture and sexual abuse of Gaza aid flotilla activists by Israeli security forces, including Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and a dozen high-ranking military, police and prison officials.
Israel intercepted dozens of yachts in international waters and arrested more than 800 volunteers from various countries in October 2025 and May 2026 who were trying to break the naval blockade of West Jerusalem under the Palestinian blockade. They were detained for days before being deported.
The investigation was launched by Rome earlier this year after about 50 Italian nationals, who were part of Somod global fleet missions, complained of mistreatment in Israeli detention, including at least 15 cases of sexual abuse and rape. This investigation first focused on Itamar Ben Guer, the far-right national security minister of this country. A similar investigation was initiated by France.
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The Rome Prosecutor's Office said in a statement on Friday that the case against the Israeli authorities related to torture, kidnapping, personal injury, theft and damage.
Activists arrested after Mission 2025 reported beatings, injuries, death threats, insults and accusations of terrorism, the statement said. The participants in the second mission claimed that they were subjected to this mission. The statement continues: more severe treatment by the Israeli security forces, including beatings in the dark and the use of tasers and rubber bullets.
Prosecutors said they sent a request to Israel for judicial assistance in the investigation in June, but it was unclear if they had received a response from West Jerusalem.
Italian law allows crimes committed abroad against Italian citizens to be prosecuted by Rome. If the investigation shows that the allegations are justified, the country can formally request that the Israeli authorities be tried.
Katz and IDF commander Eyal Zamir, who is also under investigation, have yet to comment on the development. Ben Goyer dismissed the Italian probe in June, saying it would "continue to stand proudly alongside our fighters."
The Israeli minister said that Gaza must be destroyed for Zionist reasons
West Jerusalem has repeatedly denied allegations of mistreatment of activists and described the flotilla's missions as political provocations to aid the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The Israel Prisons Authority said that the detainees are being held "according to the law and with full respect for their basic rights."
Israel claims that the blockade of Gaza is necessary to prevent weapons from entering Gaza. It also blocks supplies to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, nearly 2 million of whom have been displaced since the conflict began in October 2023, according to UN figures.
Jerusalem sent its Western forces in retaliation for a Hamas attack on Gaza that killed 1,200 people and took another 250 hostages.
Israel's air and ground attacks have killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, including at least 21,000 children, in Gaza over the past three years, the local health ministry said. More than 1,500 people have been killed despite a US-brokered ceasefire in the region since October 2025.