Italy probes Israel's Katz and 12 officials over alleged abuse of flotilla activists

Rome prosecutors have opened an investigation into Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz and 12 other senior military, police and prison officials over the treatment of activists detained after Gaza-bound flotilla interceptions. The case widens an inquiry that had previously centred on far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Prosecutors said the allegations relate to suspected torture, kidnapping, personal injury, robbery and damage.

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The investigation was triggered by complaints from 50 Italian citizens who were detained after two Global Sumud Flotilla missions in 2025 and 2026. According to the prosecutors' statement, activists detained after the first mission reported beatings, injuries, death threats, insults and accusations of terrorism. Those detained after the second mission described harsher treatment, including beatings in the dark and the use of tasers and rubber bullets.

Prosecutors also said the complaints include at least 15 allegations of sexual assault, including rape. Among those named as suspects is Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir. The Rome prosecutors' office said it had sent Israel a request for judicial assistance as part of the case.

The allegations concern the interception of small fleets of activist boats heading towards Gaza in international waters in 2025 and 2026. The activists were later detained, and in some cases deported, after the interceptions. The case has added a legal and diplomatic dimension to the long-running confrontation over attempts to deliver aid to Gaza by sea.

Flotilla organisers say their aim is to break Israel's blockade of Gaza by bringing humanitarian supplies to the territory. The first Global Sumud Flotilla sailed from Barcelona in September 2025 with 42 boats and 462 activists, while the second left Barcelona in April 2026. Israeli forces intercepted vessels from both missions, including near Crete and later off Cyprus.

The allegations are significant because they involve senior figures in Israel's security establishment and complaints from a large group of Italian nationals. They also come against the backdrop of repeated maritime interceptions and the political controversy surrounding the treatment of detained activists. Ben-Gvir dismissed news of the investigation in June, saying he would continue to stand proudly alongside Israeli soldiers.

What remains unclear is how far the Italian investigation will proceed and whether Israeli authorities will cooperate with the judicial request. It is also not yet clear whether the probe will lead to formal charges or any further diplomatic response. For now, the case appears set to remain a sensitive cross-border legal dispute tied to the wider conflict over Gaza and the flotilla campaign.

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