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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 activists were killed in the raid. 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, with the intention of breaking the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. The government of Israel stated that the flotilla was organized as a provocation or media stunt.〔 On 31 May 2010, Israeli Shayetet 13 naval commandos boarded the ships from speedboats and helicopters in order to force the ships to the Israeli port of Ashdod for inspection. On the Turkish ship MV ''Mavi Marmara'', according to Israel's own report, the Israeli Navy faced resistance from about 40 of the 590 passengers, including IHH activists – described in an Israeli report as a separate "hardcore group"〔 – who were said to be armed with iron bars and knives. 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. Ten of the commandos were also wounded, one of them seriously. ''The New York Times'', in an editorial, said, "At least some of the activists on the lead ship, the Mavi Marmara, were seeking a confrontation – and got one." 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." 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.〔 The ships were towed to Israel. Some 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. The raid drew widespread condemnation internationally and resulted in a deterioration of Israel–Turkey relations. Israel consequently eased its blockade on the Gaza Strip. All activists were freed, yet only the Turkish and Greek ships were returned. Israel confiscated and continues to hold the other ships, as well as most of the property (including all media recordings, which is important evidence) of over 700 passengers. 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 for "willful killing". The UNHRC later also set up a panel of five human rights experts to examine the conclusions of the Palmer report. The panel stated that Israel's blockade of Gaza amounted to collective punishment and was unlawful. 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". The report also found that the degree of force used against the Mavi Marmara was "excessive and unreasonable", and that the way Israel treated detained crew members violated international human rights law.〔 Israel has offered Turkey $20 million in compensation for the raid.〔(Israel offers Turkey $20m in compensation over Gaza flotilla raid ) Haaretz Retrieved 26 August 2013〕 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.〔〔 As of May 2014, although several points of agreement had been discussed between the two nations, no agreement has been finalized. ==History== The operation, code named ''Operation Sea Breeze'' or ''Operation Sky Winds'' was an attempt to block the Free Gaza Movement's ninth attempt to break the naval blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip. Israel proposed inspecting the cargo at the Port of Ashdod and then delivering non-blockaded goods through land crossings, but this proposal was turned down.〔 Israeli forces then raided and seized the Gaza-bound ships in international waters of the Mediterranean.〔 Israeli Navy warships flanked the flotilla and an aircraft flew overhead after it ignored Israeli instructions. Speedboats were prevented from approaching the ''Mavi Marmara'' by throwing broken dishes and metal chains. The other ships were boarded from speedboats. Israeli forces were met by passive resistance on five of the ships, but clashes broke out aboard the ''Mavi Marmara''. A team of 15 Israeli Shayetet 13 naval commandos abseiled onto the ships from helicopters with paintball guns, plastic bullet riot dispersal handguns, and hidden firearms. The first team commander was thrown over the deck head down, abducted and stabbed, along with a second commando, and a third was grabbed off the rope. They were taken to an inside room and medically treated by the activists, who left the knife in the commander's stomach. A stun grenade from the abducted soldiers was thrown at the commandos and a handgun was allegedly taken from one soldiers and fired by an activist, who was intercepted. The commandos were ordered to use live fire. In the melee, five activists were killed, and two, wounded by rubber bullets, died a short time later.〔 begins with discussion of Haneen Zoabi Arab Israeli member of Israeli parliament. Minute () shows activist acknowledging the paintball and looking at the laser pointers. () First Israeli commando team landing on top deck. () "They're holding two soldiers down here bleeding and wounded". () two of the wounded not checked. Later () preventing the entrance to the ships internals. () Wounded getting wrong treatment by activist "fake doctor". () beginning of treatment, shirt is ripped off, real doctor puts finger on injury and says: "Blastick".〕 According to the Israeli timeline video, within 5 minutes the roof was secured, with the assistance of an extra 15 man commando unit. Only 15 minutes later the commandos began the ship takeover with live ammunition and a third team of fighters. The soldier's captors escaped, and the Israeli commander pulled the knife out of his body and jumped overboard along with a second soldier. The third, with severe head injury was left and found by his comrades later. The raid ended with nine activists killed,〔〔 and dozens injured. A UNHRC fact-finding mission described six of the nine passengers' deaths as "summary execution" by the Israeli commandos. A BBC documentary concluded that Israeli forces had faced a violent premeditated attack by a group of hardcore IHH activists, who intended to orchestrate a political act to put pressure on Israel. The programme was criticised as "biased" by critics of Israel and the PSC (Palestine Solidarity Campaign) questioned why the IDF boarded the ship at night if it had peaceful intention. Seven Israeli commandos were injured in the skirmish. After seizing control of the ships, Israeli forces towed them to Ashdod and detained the passengers.〔〔 Both sides place responsibility for the bloodshed on the other, and accounts of the events vary. The raid prompted widespread international reactions and demonstrations around the world.〔 • 〕 The United Nations Security Council condemned "those acts resulting in civilian deaths", demanded an impartial investigation of the raid,〔 and called for the immediate release of civilians held by Israel.〔 Israel released all passengers of the flotilla by 6 June 2010.〔 The incident threatened the already deteriorating relations between Turkey and Israel. Turkish president Abdullah Gül described the raid as an attack on Turkey for the first time since World War I. Israel initially rejected calls from the United Nations and world governments for an international investigation into its raid on the Gaza aid flotilla, but later agreed to cooperate with an investigation conducted by the United Nations. Israel formed the Turkel Committee to investigate the raid. The committee, headed by retired Supreme Court of Israel judge Jacob Turkel, included two international observers. The conclusions of an internal inquiry by the Israel Defense Forces under retired general Giora Eiland were presented to the chief of staff, Gabi Ashkenazi on 12 July 2010.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, received the conclusions reached by a team of experts )〕 Eiland's report found that the naval commandos had carried out their duties with professionalism, bravery and resourcefulness, and the commanders had exhibited correct decision making. The report further determined, "the use of live fire was justified and that the entire operation was estimable." In August 2010, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that the U.N. would conduct an investigation of the incident. A separate investigation was conducted by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The findings of this committee, published on 22 September 2010, called the Israeli operation "disproportionate" and condemned its "unacceptable level of brutality". The UN Human Rights Council had also condemned the raid in June, before its investigation.〔 Another resolution backing the report was passed despite American opposition and EU abstention.〔 Israel accused the UNHRC of a biased, politicized and extremist approach.〔 Benjamin Netanyahu described the actions of the soldiers as a clear case of self-defense. The Israeli Supreme Court, which rejected several local legal suits against the flotilla raid, wrote in its verdict, "the soldiers were forced to respond in order to defend their lives." Five shipments had been allowed through prior to the 2008–09 Gaza War, but all shipments following the war were blocked by Israel. This flotilla was the largest to date. An Islamic aid group from Turkey, the İHH (İnsani Yardım Vakfı) (Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief) sponsored a large passenger ship and two cargo ships. On 22 March 2013 Netanyahu apologised for the incident in a 30-minute telephone call with Erdoğan, stating that the results were unintended; the Turkish prime minister accepted apology and agreed to enter into discussions to resolve the compensation issue.〔〔 Following the telephone apology, Israel's Channel 10 television channel reported that compensation talks had commenced; however, a disparity became immediately apparent, as Turkey sought $1 million for each of the flotilla deaths, while Israel response was $100,000. As of 27 March 2013, an agreement was made between the two nations in regard to three points: 1. Compensation will only be paid to the family members of the people killed aboard the Marmara; 2. Confirmation of a signed commitment from Turkey, whereby Turkey will be unable to sue Israel over the incident; 3. The Turkish government will return the monetary compensation to Israel in the event that civilian lawsuits are ever filed by Turkish citizens; a meeting was also planned for the discussion of future relations between Turkey and Israel. One of participants of the Gaza flotilla, Sinan Albayrak, told the Turkish newspaper ''Akşam'' in response to the Israeli apology, "()hat is the importance of the apology? 'We killed nine people and are sorry' – of course it sounds ridiculous. I say this is what the state should have done. If () only had prevented this at the start. But we asked for it. We went there ourselves."〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Islamists in disarray after Israeli apology )〕 According to ''Hürriyet Daily News'' Semih Idiz, some Turkish citizens are even suggesting that those involved with the Mavi Marmara incident should also bring charges against the Turkish state for playing a prominent role in supporting the Mavi Marmara's mission and for failing to prevent the death of nine Turks on the ship.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Gaza flotilla raid」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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