Israeli military kills 10 on aid flotilla

Israeli military kills 10 on aid flotilla

Outrage as aid effort is attacked and activists die; dozens injured in violent clash.

May 31, 2010 3:00 by Samuel Potter

A deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza bound aid flotilla has sparked outrage, reports Gulf News.

The paper says both foes and allies have turned on Israel after ten people were killed in today’s commando raid. The battle at sea took place between Israeli naval commandos and pro-Palestinian activists, and has resulted in the deaths of at least ten activists and injuries to dozens more.

The incident has engulfed Israel in a war of words with Turkey, says the Guardian, which quotes the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, as describing the storming of the flotilla as a “massacre.” The Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, described it as a “war crime,” says the paper. It anticipates a coming international diplomatic crisis and angry demonstrations across Israel, Palestinian territories and Turkey.

Meanwhile UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was “shocked” by the raid and demanded the Jewish state conduct a full investigation.

The flotilla was carrying around 650 activists and 10,000 tonnes of aid, says the Guardian, including medical supplies and construction materials. The aim was to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza, “which has been rigorously enforced for the past three years.”