At least 10 pro-Palestinian activists were killed and dozens injured when Israeli naval commandos stormed a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters early today, sparking international condemnation and a diplomatic crisis with Turkey.
The Israeli military said it acted after its forces were attacked with weapons including knives and clubs, sustaining at least five injuries. However, organisers of the Free Gaza Movement accused Israeli troops of opening fire as they boarded the Turkish ferry Mavi Marmara. The Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas described the raid as a 'massacre'.
Nine of the dead are believed to be Turkish nationals, prompting Turkey to demand an explanation from the Israeli ambassador. Demonstrators surrounded the ambassador's residence in Ankara as Turkish police were deployed. Sweden, Spain, Greece and the EU also condemned the operation.
Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, claimed the activists were allies of Hamas and al-Qaida, and said they would have opened an arms smuggling route. The Israeli military insisted the boarding in international waters was permissible due to security threats.
The flotilla of six ships was carrying around 650 activists and 10,000 tonnes of aid, including medical supplies and construction materials, aiming to break Israel's three-year blockade of Gaza. The remaining vessels were escorted to the Israeli port of Ashdod, where activists face deportation or legal proceedings.
