Gaza flotilla raid: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

Three other ships carried [[#Cargo|cargo]]: 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid, with an estimated value of $20 million. Reports disagree about the presence and quantity of paramilitary equipment.<ref name="bbc-faq"/>

For the [[#Initial leg|initial leg]] of the voyage, six of the eight ships set out on 30 May 2010 from international waters off the coast of [[Cyprus]];<ref name="haaretz-at least"/> the remaining two were delayed by mechanical problems.<ref name="businessday-israel processes">{{Cite news |url=http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=110502|title=4 Turks dead on aid ship|work=Business Day|location=South Africa|date=1 June 2010|access-date=3 June 2010}}</ref> The ship was not allowed to sail in Cypriot government controlled territorial waters and in the end departed from the illegal [[Port of Famagusta]], in occupied [[Northern Cyprus]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Caucaso |first=Osservatorio Balcani e |title=~~Cyprus’~~Cyprus' Plan for a Maritime Humanitarian Aid Corridor to Gaza |url=https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Areas/Cyprus/Cyprus-Plan-for-a-Maritime-Humanitarian-Aid-Corridor-to-Gaza-228444 |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=OBC Transeuropa |language=it |quote=Haritos describes how the then President of the Republic of Cyprus, Dimitris Christofias, whose AKEL communist party’s stance toward the Arab-Israeli conflict was and continues to be openly pro-Palestinian, decided not to allow the Mavi Marmara flotilla to enter Cypriot territorial waters at the moment when the Turkish ship was about to enter the port of Famagusta (a port which is under the de facto control of ‘TRNC’, yet considered a ‘closed port’ for the Republic of Cyprus, therefore illegal).}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-05-29 |title=Gaza-bound aid ships are 'tampered with' |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20100529-israel-palestinian-conflict-aid-flotilla-sail-break-gaza-blockade |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=France 24 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-06 |title=Humanitarian diplomacy and its risks {{!}} eKathimerini.com |url=https://www.ekathimerini.com/opinion/1224079/humanitarian-diplomacy-and-its-risks/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=www.ekathimerini.com |language=English |quote=The then AKEL government and its president Demetris Christofias, despite its pro-Palestinian ideological origins, prohibited the passage of the Turkish flotilla through Cypriot national waters. The reason, although never officially explained, was simple: The Mavi Marmara’s route, carefully planned by Ankara, indicated that the flotilla’s last stop before reaching Gaza would be the Turkish-occupied port of Famagusta. In Turkey’s diplomatic view, the symbolism was obvious: “Just as the Greek Cypriots enforce the international isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), that is exactly how the Israelis isolate the Palestinians of Gaza.” The departure of the flotilla from the blockaded port of Famagusta to the blockaded port of Gaza would demonstrate the solidarity of the tested “Turkish-Cypriot people” to the correspondingly tested Palestinians.}}</ref>

===Pre-raid sabotage rumors===

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The IDF identified a group of some 50 men who were responsible for attacking IDF soldiers. The members of this group were not carrying identity cards or passports, but each carried an envelope with some $10,000 in cash. The Israeli defense establishment suspected that the funding may have come from elements in the Turkish government. One member of the group, who was identified as its ringleader, travelled to [[Bursa]] to recruit members. The members were stationed in groups throughout the ship, mostly on the upper deck, and communicated with each other via walkie-talkies. The members were well-trained and equipped with gas masks and bulletproof vests.<ref name="mercenaries">{{cite news |last=Efune |first=Dovid |url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=177452 |title=IDF: Mercenaries to blame for violence |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |access-date=2 March 2012}}</ref>

The ''Mavi ~~Maramara~~Marmara'' activists were divided into two groups, "peace activists" and a "hardcore group".{{sfn|UN Palmer Report|2011|p=30}}<ref name="hardcore"/> Video footage shows the "hardcore group" activists prepared before the raid, praying together while wearing uniforms, taking their gas masks and makeshift weapons, and getting into position.{{CN|date=April 2023}} Activists dressed in protective clothing from construction materials.{{CN|date=April 2023}}

===''Mavi Marmara'' boarding===

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A BBC investigation found that the aid consignment consisted of "thousands of tons" of aid, including large quantities of much needed building supplies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/appeals/esc_bulletins/2011/death_in_med.pdf|title=Findings of the Editorial Standards Committee of the BBC Trust (Death in the Med)|pages=109–110|website=Bbc.co.uk|access-date=14 February 2022}}</ref> Israel said humanitarian aid confiscated from the ships would be transferred to Gaza, but that it would not transfer banned items such as cement.<ref name="haaretz-at least" /> At the same briefing, they said that they found construction equipment, including concrete and metal rods, that were not allowed into Gaza. The IDF said that all of the equipment on board was examined and none of it was in shortage in Gaza.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friedman |first=Ron |url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=177165 |title=Equipment not in shortage in Gaza |work=The Jerusalem Post |access-date=2 June 2010}}</ref>

According to Israeli and Palestinian sources, [[Hamas]] refused to allow the humanitarian aid into Gaza until Israeli authorities released all flotilla detainees and allowed building materials, which are thought to make up 8,000 of the 10,000 tons of the goods, to reach them.<ref name="hamas refuses"/><ref name="Hamas block">{{cite news |last=Meranda |first=Amnon |date=2 June 2010 |title=Hamas blocking delivery of aid |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3898181,00.html |work=Ynetnews |location=Tel Aviv |access-date=2 June 2011}}</ref><ref name="HamasAid">{{Cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/06/02/israel.palestinians.aid/ |title=IDF: Hamas stops flotilla aid delivered by Israel |publisher=CNN |date=2 June 2010 |access-date=3 June 2010|quote=Ra'ed Fatooh, in charge of the crossings, and Jamal Khudari, head of a committee against the Gaza blockade, said Israel must release all flotilla detainees and that [the aid] will be accepted in the territory only by the Free Gaza Movement people who organized the flotilla.}}</ref> Hamas leader [[Ismail Haniyeh]] said, "We are not seeking to fill our (bellies), we are looking to break the Israeli siege on Gaza."<ref name="readytoboard">{{cite news |last=Hider |first=James |date=5 June 2010 |title=Israel ready to board Gaza bound ship |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7144619.ece |location=London |work=The Times |access-date=2 September 2011}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

[[File:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - Flotilla Cargo En Route to the Gaza Strip.jpg|thumb|Flotilla's humanitarian aid en route to the [[Kerem Shalom border crossing|Kerem Shalom Crossing]]. The aid was unloaded at the Gaza border crossing but was refused by [[Hamas]].]]

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|title=Israel's use of captured video draws criticism

|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/03/world/main6544489.shtml

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100606173226/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/03/world/main6544489.shtml

|url-status=dead

|archive-date=6 June 2010

|agency=Associated Press |work=CBS News |access-date=4 June 2010

}}</ref>

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[[Category:Gaza flotilla raid| ]]

[[Category:Cross-border operations of Israel]]

[[Category:Greece–Israel relations]]

[[Category:International maritime incidents]]