Australian activists detained in Israel after trying to deliver aid to Gaza have been deported to Turkey following a "shameful" video of an Israeli minister taunting detainees.
The 428 Global Sumud Flotilla participants - including 11 Australians - were released overnight after being intercepted by Israeli forces at gunpoint in international waters on Tuesday.
A statement from the flotilla's Australian contingent said members were being forensically examined in hospital in Istanbul and will meet with lawyers to document their experience.
They will then return to Australia in coming days.
Federal minister Tanya Plibersek confirmed Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials were providing assistance to Australians on the ground in Turkey who were part of the flotilla.
"(DFAT is providing) the usual consular assistance, and my hope is that they'lll be on their way home safely," she told ABC Radio on Friday.
"There are 11 Australians now in Istanbul being assisted by our Australian authorities."
Their release follows condemnation of Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was seen in a video humiliating the activists in the flotilla.
The video prompted a public rebuke from Foreign Minister Penny Wong and for Israel's ambassador to Australia Hillel Newman to be summoned to DFAT for a "please explain".
Ms Plibersek said the actions of Israel's minister was shameful.
"It was absolutely disgraceful behaviour, and I'm very pleased to say that the foreign minister has said that in the strongest terms to the Israeli government," she said.
"Our Australian ambassador in Israel has made the position of the Australian government very clear, that this behaviour is acceptable, completely unacceptable."
Mr Newman said the activists were "certainly safe" and had access to consular officials while in detention.
"No one is in harm's way ... the dealing with them was very sensitive," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.
However, one of the Australians onboard the flotilla, Zack Schofield, said many in the group were treated poorly in prison.
"Many of us haven’t eaten for days. We were denied water for two days," he said in a statement.
"I have friends that were shocked with tasers, stun guns for extended periods of time just on entry to prison."
Greens senator Nick McKim said stronger actions were needed from the federal government.
"This demands the strongest possible response from our prime minister and our foreign minister, a far, far stronger response than they've delivered to date," he told ABC Radio.
"That is abhorrent treatment of people by a senior figure in the Israeli government. People are being degraded, they're having their human rights abused. It is effectively a form of torture."
