A Newcastle mother has demanded urgent action from the federal government after her son was detained by Israeli forces while attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Zack Schofield was among 11 Australians onboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international mission carrying about 400 activists and volunteers trying to reach Gaza this week.

But, it was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters on Monday 18 May.

Since then, families say they have had little information about the welfare of those detained.

Concerns escalated overnight after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video appearing to show flotilla participants kneeling on the floor under guard while their hands were restrained.

It remains unclear whether any Australians appeared in the footage.

In an emotional email to Newcastle-based Labor MP Sharon Claydon, Zack’s mother Joanne Jaworowski said she was horrified by the treatment of the activists.

She called on the Australian Government to publicly condemn Israel’s actions.

“With all my being, I request that you urgently bring this to the Party Room and the Parliament,” she wrote.

“I want to see the PM (Anthony Albanese) and the Foreign Minister (Penny Wong) make public statements about the grotesquely unacceptable behaviour not just of Ben-Gvir but also of the State of Israel towards our citizens.”

Joanne accused the Commonwealth of not doing enough to protect Australians detained during previous flotilla missions.

“Exactly as I feared, Australia’s lack of a public response to the outrage of Israel illegally detaining our citizens on international waters on 29 April has emboldened Israel to treat these Australian hostages even worse than they did before,” she said.

She added Zack had committed to a hunger strike if taken into Israeli custody, alongside fellow Australian activists Surya McEwen and Neve O’Connor.

“That makes their release even more urgent,” Joanne wrote.

“Zack’s boat was taken early, so he has been under Israeli control for over three days by now.”

Joanne also called on Ms Wong to summon Israel’s Ambassador to Australia and demand answers over the treatment of the detained Australians.

“Our federal government needs to assert its sovereignty and protect Australians from this monstrous conduct,” she wrote.

The comments come as lawyers acting for flotilla participants allege detainees have reported being subjected to tasers, rubber bullets, sexual harassment and degrading treatment while in custody.

A legal team representing some activists said several people had reportedly been hospitalised and later released.

Ms Wong has since condemned the video posted by Mr Ben-Gvir, describing the footage as “shocking and unacceptable”.

She also denounced “the degrading actions of Israeli authorities towards those detained”.

The Australian detainees are expected to face a tribunal before being deported.

• With AAP

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