Activists who were detained with a flotilla trying to reach the Gaza Strip have said they were abused while in Israel’s custody. Israeli authorities have denied mistreating them.

The national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, posted a video in which he is seen with handcuffed activists forced to kneel on the deck of a ship. It drew a rebuke from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Activists said the Israeli military boarded and disabled boats carrying humanitarian assistance to the territory in international waters near Greece.

The Israeli military boarded multiple boats in a flotilla that was sailing from Barcelona to Gaza, the protest group behind the mission said. The group has repeatedly challenged Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.

Hamas said it was not participating in the municipal elections in Deir al-Balah, set for this weekend. Residents said it was a long-awaited opportunity to address the city’s problems

The demand reflects both the U.S. administration’s eagerness to secure a lasting cease-fire in Gaza and its growing impatience with the Palestinian militant group.

The new war has led to panic buying and a surge in food prices for Gazans as they try to recover from Israel’s two-year offensive against Hamas.

At once, Mahmood Mamdani’s fame was eclipsed by his son’s. At the same time, the election of Zohran Mamdani has attracted new interest in his father’s work.