Global InformationGaza flotilla raid information
32°38′28″N 33°34′02″E / 32.64113°N 33.56727°E
| Gaza flotilla raid | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Blockade of the Gaza Strip | |||||
 Routes of the Gaza-bound flotilla (green) and the Israeli Navy (orange) | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
 Israel | Gaza Freedom Flotilla | ||||
| Units involved | |||||
| Shayetet 13 | |||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| 10 wounded |
10 dead Dozens wounded | ||||
The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six civilian ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea. Nine of the flotilla passengers were killed during the raid, with thirty wounded (including one who later died of his wounds).[1][2] Ten Israeli soldiers were wounded, one seriously. The exact sequence of events is contested, in part due to the IDF's confiscation of the passengers' photographic evidence.[3] The flotilla, organized by the Free Gaza Movement and the Turkish Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (İHH), was carrying humanitarian aid and construction materials, intending to break the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Navy warned the flotilla via radio to stop approaching the naval blockade and to change course to the port of Ashdod. This request was denied and on 31 May 2010, Israeli Shayetet 13 naval commandos boarded the ships in international waters from speedboats[4] and helicopters. Aboard the Turkish ship MV Mavi Marmara, the Israeli Navy faced resistance from about 40 of the 590 passengers, including IHH activists who were said to be armed with iron bars and knives.[5] During the struggle, nine activists were killed, including eight Turkish nationals and one Turkish American, and many were wounded. On 23 May 2014, a tenth member of the flotilla died in hospital after being in a coma for four years.[6] Ten of the commandos were also wounded, one of them seriously.[5][7]
According to a UN report, all activist deaths were caused by gunshots, and "the circumstances of the killing of at least six of the passengers were in a manner consistent with an extra-legal, arbitrary and summary execution."[8][9] The five other ships in the flotilla employed passive resistance, which was suppressed without major incident. According to the UN report, several of the passengers were injured and the leg of one was fractured.[8][10] The ships were towed to Israel. Some passengers were deported immediately, while about 600 were detained after they refused to sign deportation orders; a few of them were slated for prosecution. After international criticism, all of the detained activists were also deported.[11][12]
The raid drew widespread condemnation internationally and resulted in a deterioration of Israel–Turkey relations. Israel subsequently eased its blockade on the Gaza Strip. All surviving activists were freed, though only the Turkish and Greek ships were returned. Israel confiscated and continued to hold the other ships, as well as most of the property (including all media recordings) of over 700 passengers, as of June 2010[update].[13][needs update]
There were several probes into the incident. A UNHRC report in September 2010 into the incident deemed the blockade illegal and stated that Israel's actions were "disproportionate" and "betrayed an unacceptable level of brutality", with evidence of "wilful killing". United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced a parallel probe in August 2010 by a four-member panel headed by Geoffrey Palmer. The Palmer report was published on 2 September 2011 after being delayed, reportedly to allow Israel and Turkey to continue reconciliation talks. The report found that the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza was legal, and that there were "serious questions about the conduct, true nature and objectives of the flotilla organizers, particularly IHH".[14][15] The report also found that the degree of force used against the Mavi Marmara was "excessive and unreasonable",[16] and that the way Israel treated detained crew members violated international human rights law.[16]
Israel has offered Turkey $20 million in compensation for the raid.[17] On 22 March 2013, in a half-hour telephone exchange between Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the former apologized on behalf of his nation; Erdoğan accepted the apology and both agreed to enter into further discussions.[18][19] On 29 June 2016, the agreement was finalized and approved by the Israeli government.[20]
- ^ Chebil, Medhi (June 2010). "Repatriated flotilla activists challenge Israeli version of deadly raid". France24.com. France 24. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ Booth, Robert (4 June 2010). "Gaza flotilla activists were shot in head at close range". The Guardian.
- ^ Finkelstein, N. (2021). Gaza: An Inquest Into Its Martyrdom. United States: University of California Press. pp. 146 "The only witnesses able to contest the official Israeli account had been impris- oned and their photographic evidence confiscated."
- ^ UN Palmer Report 2011, p. 19.
- ^ a b UN Palmer Report 2011, pp. 54–61.
- ^ Saed Bannoura (24 May 2014). "Turkish Man Dies of Wounds Sustained During Israel's Attack on Solidarity Ship". IMEMC News. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ Kershner, Isabel (31 May 2010). "Deadly Israeli raid draws condemnation". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
- ^ a b "Report of the international fact-finding mission to investigate violations of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, resulting from the Israeli attacks on the flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian assistance" (PDF). United Nations General Assembly Human Rights Council. 27 September 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ Robert Booth; Harriet Sherwood; Justin Vela (4 June 2010). "Gaza flotilla attack: Autopsies reveal intensity of Israeli military force". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ Robert Booth; Kate Connolly; Tom Philips; Helena Smith (1 June 2010). "Gaza flotilla raid: 'We heard gunfire – then our ship turned into lake of blood'". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ Kosharek, Noah; DPA; Ravid, Barak; Kyzer, Liel (1 June 2010). "Israel transfers hundreds of Gaza flotilla activists to airport for deportation". Haaretz. Associated Press.
The decision to deport the hundreds of foreign activists was announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided late Tuesday, in the face of mounting world criticism of Monday's assault
- ^ "Gaza flotilla activists back in Turkey". CBC News. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
"Israel had said it will not prosecute dozens of activists detained in the raid, opting instead to deport them all immediately in an apparent effort to limit the diplomatic damage from the raid.
- ^ "CCR Demands Return of Property and Evidence Seized by Israel from Flotilla" (Press release). Center for Constitutional Rights. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ "U.N. experts say Israel's blockade of Gaza illegal". Reuters. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ UN Palmer Report 2011, p. 4.
- ^ a b Buchan, Russel. "The Palmer Report and the Legality of Israel's Naval Blockade of Gaza". International and Comparative Law Quarterly.
- ^ Israel offers Turkey $20m in compensation over Gaza flotilla raid Haaretz Retrieved 26 August 2013
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
bbc220313was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
CNN220313was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Reynold, Nick. "Israeli Ministers Officially Approve Reconciliation Deal with Turkey". Algemeiner.com. Retrieved 30 June 2016.