Breaking News – The Israel Defense Forces (IDf) have attacked a Flotilla by the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), transporting aids to the Gaza strip in the early hours of the morning on Monday. It is alleged that at least 16 people have been killed onboard the Mavi Marmara the lead ship of the Flotilla.

According initial reports, two people were reported to have been killed and 30 people were injured, but soon after Israeli TV reported that there were at least 16 activists who were killed during the raid.
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An interesting note was that the Israeli TV chanels and radio’s quoted foreign news agencies when reporting the amount of dead and injured. Also Israeli soldiers had seen boarding the ship via helicopters.

Israeli TV Broadcasting channel, “Channel two” reported that the activists onboard the aid ships had not stayed passive as they had promised in the scenario of Israeli soldiers boarding the ships, and had attacked the Israeli soldiers with knifes and metal poles.

The Israeli television and radio’s first aired the news of the attacks on the aid ships after protests were being planned in Ankara and Istanbul and after the Israeli ambassador in Ankara was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey.

Another fact that caught the eye was that no official explanation was made by the Israel authorities until several hours after the attacks took place.

A military source had said that “at this stage, any official explanation will be out of the question from the IDF,” but reminded reporters that they (IDF) had warned the aid ships that they should “change their rotor back or be sent to Ashdod Port”.

According to footage from the aid ships, it was clearly seen that masked soldiers had boarded the aid ships by ropes from helicopters and had went inside the ship. Some of the activists were also seen hitting the commandos but was this after the shooting of the activists or before, it is unknown.

After the attacks, only the Blue Marmara ship was able to make contact of the attacks but soon after all communications were lost with the Flotilla.

Israel organize press conference
The Israeli deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon said at a press conference in Tel Aviv’de ”I want to report this morning that the armada of hate and violence in support of Hamas terror organization was a premeditated and outrageous provocation”.

The deputy foreign minister also accused the organizers of the Flotilla, of supporting “Global jihad” and that “they have a history of arms smuggling and deadly terror.”
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Wounded activists handcuffed
Israel’s Ankara Ambassador, Gaby Levy who was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey was told that the injured should be brought back to Turkey immediately.

The Israeli television crews had pictured injured activists which were handcuffed. Four Turkish citizens whose conditions were reported to be serious were taken to the Hadassa Hospital in Kudus.

Injured activists being brought to land by Israeli soldiers

The assistant foreign affairs minister Ünal Çeviköz who spoke with the Israeli ambassador Levy has expressed his discomfort of the “raid” by the IDF which resulted in the death of at least 10 activists.

Çeviköz, who reminded the Israeli ambassador that the attacks took place on International waters ordered the activists of Turkish nationality including the injured to be returned to Turkey immediately.

Meanwhile protests have stopped in Taksim Square where a reported 10,000 protesters amassed from the Israeli embassy to Taksim Square with Turkey and Palestinian flags chanting anti Israel slogans.

Last Minute Update
The Israeli authorities have said that there were nine deaths and also allegedly found firearms on two Australian nationals.

Turkey’s Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who made a call to a press centre has heavily criticised the Israeli government and has accused Israel of “lying” over the activists being armed with firearms.

The Prime Minister also said that the Aid ships only contained, rice, macaroni, toys, building material, etc as essential needs for the Gaza people.

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