The Rome Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over his connection with the handling of the May 2026 Global Sumud Flotilla case.
This was first reported by the Italian press agency ANSA and Reuters.
It comes after videos posted to social media showed alleged mistreatment of Gaza-bound activists by the Israeli National Security Minister last month, including mocking them while they were kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs.
According to ANSA, prosecutors are examining potential offenses of kidnapping, torture, violations of maritime navigation laws, and attempted murder in relation to events that allegedly occurred during the interception of the vessels at sea.
Italy joins France, whose National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) has already launched a preliminary investigation into alleged torture and war crimes.
"The country shaped like a boot has become the country of flipflops," Ben-Gvir himself responded on X/Twitter.
"Israel is not a punching bag for a bunch of lying terrorism supporters who fabricate slander and falsehoods against our fighters," he said, according to Israeli media reports.
The Global Sumud Flotilla's Italian spokesperson, Maria Elena Delia, said it "is entirely appropriate that there be an investigation."
She, however, said that Ben-Gvir is only "a minister in the Netanyahu government and an expression of that government's broader Zionist system."
Israeli officials maintain that the claims of sexual assault and violence are entirely false, intended to defame the State of Israel as part of the propaganda and provocation underpinning the entire flotilla initiative.
Both the Israel Prison Service and the IDF have firmly rejected the allegations as groundless fabrications, reiterating that the activists were handled strictly according to standard procedures and the law.
Netanyahu, Sa'ar distance themselves
However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar distanced themselves from the footage, and the latter condemned Ben-Gvir.
"You knowingly caused harm to our State in this disgraceful display - and not for the first time. You have undone tremendous, professional, and successful efforts made by so many people - from IDF soldiers to Foreign Ministry staff and many others. No, you are not the face of Israel." Sa'ar wrote on X.
The Jerusalem Post reached out to the Rome prosecutor for confirmation.Yoav Etiel contributed to this report.