Sunday, May 30, 2010

Flotilla boarded: Some number killed

This is going to dominate the news and the blogs for a while. The Jerusalem Post headline reads "Gaza flotilla: 2 dead, dozens injured in navy boarding."
Passengers tried to wrest weapons from soldiers, Army Radio reports; Turkish leadership call emergency meeting to discuss response to attack at sea, call in Israeli ambassador.

Passengers tried to grab weapons away from soldiers boarding the Gaza protest flotilla, starting the violence, Army Radio reported Tuesday morning, responding to accusations that Israeli commandos assaulted the ships guns blazing.

Activists aboard the ships repeatedly said they would not respond with violence to the navy's interception of their flotilla.

At least two activistswere killed and dozens more were wounded in clashes as hundreds of Israeli commandos boarded the ships, firing guns and employing gas, Turkish media and Al-Jazeera reported earlier Tuesday morning. [...]
There may be further clarifications to come. In the meantime, Iran's PressTV is reporting ten were killed:
sraeli forces have attacked the international aid convoy Freedom Flotilla en route to the besieged Gaza Strip, killing at least 10 people and leaving more than 50 injured.

The attack came on Monday morning after one of the six ships in the convoy was hit by Israeli navy forces before being stormed by commandos descending from helicopters.

The interception reportedly took place in international waters, more than 150km (90 miles) off the coast of Gaza. [...]
Al Jazeera is reporting "up to 16 people" killed:
Israeli forces have attacked a flotilla of aid-carrying ships aiming to break the country's siege on Gaza.

Up to 16 people were killed and more than 30 people injured when troops stormed the Freedom Flotilla early on Monday, the Israeli Army Radio said.

The flotilla was attacked in international waters, 65km off the Gaza coast.[...]
The news accounts probably won't vary so widely in the morning.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Update: IRIB Radio: "Israel attacks Gaza aid flotilla, 20 killed"



Update: J-Post is now reporting "at least 10" deaths.

Update: NY Times: "14 Deaths Reported as Israel Attacks Aid Flotilla"

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