Category Archives: Flotilla Convoy 2010

British nationals held by Israel after the storming of the aid flotilla bound for Gaza are expected to start arriving home today.

Twenty-five Britons arrived on three planes, which touched down at Istanbul airport between 2.40am and 3.10am according to John Reilly, a spokesman for the British embassy in Istanbul.

“Everyone was OK, but they were tired and stressed,” he said, adding that they were given free accomodation in an Istanbul hotel by the state-owned Turkish Airlines, which has also offered each of them a free ticket back to London.

Israeli commandos armed with guns have attacked a vessel part of flotilla of aid-carrying ships bound for Gaza off the Palestinian territory’s coast on Monday, killing up to 19 people and wounding dozens of others on board.

The Freedom flotilla, a convoy of six ships carrying hundreds of activists, political leaders and journalists from around the world, was trying to deliver about 10,000 tonnes of basic aid including food, medicine, and construction material, in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza.

While Israel has said activists were the first to attack the troops as they boarded the ship called Mavi Marmara, the flotilla’s organisers said that Israeli forces opened fire first.

Al Jazeera’s Ayman Mohyeldin reports from the West Bank, the Palestinian territory.

In 3 languages, the Israeli Navy massacres 20 unarmed international humanitarian activists in international waters and injures dozens. The Freedom Flotilla had European MPs, priests, people from many nationalities, including Israeli, and 10,000 tons of aid to the 3-year besieged Gaza.

Emergency demo 31st May @ 2PM Downing street for government to tak action against Israel who are preparing to take action against the flotilla which is 90miles from Gaza. Israeli war ships are surrounding the boats as we speak so please make dua for Allah to protect all on board.

Israeli military sources confirmed that an Israeli missile frigate will be deployed opposite the shore of Gaza on statuary evening in order to intercept the freedom flotilla that is heading to break the siege on Gaza.

Israeli Military sources estimated that the ships will arrive at Gaza’s shores late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, and the Navy intends on sending ships to intercept the flotilla overnight, although the arrival news was not confirmed by the flotilla organizers.

News coming from the flotilla organizers confirm that the people participating in the eight-vessel sail were “being very good sports about all the delays. They are waiting for the last ship to arrive and they’re in a good mood, they added.

The organizers delayed their sailing towards Gaza once again, confirming that the final decision on starting the action would be taken later in the day.

The postponement is related to the organizers endeavors to persuade the Cyprus authorities to allow a group of about 25 prominent activists including many European Parliament members to join the flotilla through the Turkish Part of the island.

AP confirmed that the ships number in the flotilla has been diminished to five instead of eight because of the Cyprus authorities’ refusal to give access to flotilla.

Egypt has often been accused of being a silent partner with Israel in its siege of Gaza by refusing to let goods and people through the Rafah border crossing, between Egypt and Gaza, since the Strip was taken over by Hamas.

However, it is an accusation the country rejects.

Al Jazeera has been given rare access to the Ouja commercial crossing between Egypt and Israel, which Egyptian officials say is a fast track for humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Al Jazeera’s Amr El-Kahky reports from the crossing