Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told a public gathering that activists behind Gaza-bound aid flotillas are holding off on organizing another attempt until after Israel's upcoming elections, in the hope that he will no longer hold his current post. Recounting what he described as the activists' own reasoning, Ben-Gvir said, "They now want to organize another flotilla now. What did they say? 'There is a crazy minister there. When he leaves, we will organize another flotilla.'" He framed the claim as evidence that his hardline approach to intercepting such vessels has succeeded in deterring further attempts, at least for now.

The remarks build on Ben-Gvir's controversial handling of the Global Sumud Flotilla interception in May 2026, when Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla of vessels attempting to breach the naval blockade around Gaza. Ben-Gvir subsequently posted video of himself at Ashdod Port taunting bound and kneeling activists, waving an Israeli flag and declaring, "Welcome to Israel! We are in charge here!" The footage sparked an international uproar, drawing condemnation from foreign governments and human rights organizations, and even prompted criticism from within Netanyahu's own coalition, with the prime minister offering a mild rebuke over how the minister had handled the detained activists. Reports later indicated Ben-Gvir had physically pushed past a military officer to gain access to the ship in order to film the video.

Ben-Gvir's conduct around the flotilla episode has become part of a broader pattern of provocative, campaign-oriented messaging as Israel heads toward elections scheduled for late October. Israel's Central Elections Committee ruled that his original flotilla video constituted unlawful election propaganda produced using public resources, ordering it removed and fining him and his ministry a combined sum in shekels. He has continued to lean into hardline imagery since then, including a widely viewed but later deleted AI-generated campaign video depicting Palestinian prisoners moving through an industrial-style processing facility, which drew similarly sharp criticism for its dehumanizing framing.

Analysts covering Israeli politics have noted that Ben-Gvir's willingness to court controversy, even at the cost of criticism from his own political allies, appears to be a deliberate strategy aimed at distinguishing himself from more establishment figures on the Israeli right ahead of the vote. Whether his claim about activists deliberately waiting for his departure from office reflects an actual statement made by flotilla organizers or is simply Ben-Gvir's own characterization of their thinking remains unverified, as no independent source has confirmed the exchange he described. Regardless, the remarks fit a consistent theme in his public messaging: portraying his uncompromising, often internationally condemned tactics as the very reason for continued deterrence against further challenges to Israel's blockade of Gaza.