Freedom flotilla gains partial victory, eases blockade of the Gaza Strip, 2010

In May 2010 the Free Gaza Movement launched a flotilla to deliver
humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and challenge Israel’s blockade of
the strip.  This was the ninth mission the Free Gaza Movement had
launched, although the last three missions had been blocked by the
Israeli Navy.  This flotilla included eight ships, while the past
flotillas had only included one or two.

Three ships carried passengers as well as humanitarian aid, while the
rest just carried passengers.  The flotilla consisted of two Greek
ships, two from the US, and one each from Comoros, Turkey, Kiribati, and
Cambodia.  They carried over 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid.  This
included food, medicine, and clothing as well as materials that the
Israeli authorities forbade, such as cement.  The flotillas included 663
passengers in total and 600 sailed on the ship the Mavi Marmara.  Over
half the passengers were Turkish, but there were passengers from 37
countries in total.  The passengers also included the former UN
Assistant Secretary General Denis Halliday, a Holocaust survivor, Nobel
Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire, and an Israeli-Arab
Knesset member.

Following the announcement of the flotilla, Israel challenged the
organizers’ plan.  It both questioned the flotilla’s motives and said
that it would violate international law.  Israel offered for the
flotilla to dock in Ashdod and to then transfer the supplies to the Gaza
Strip, including the materials not allowed by the blockade.  Activists
preferred to deliver the humanitarian supplies and break the blockade. 
Also, they did not trust that the supplies would be delivered by the
Israelis.  As a result, they did not agree to the Israeli proposition.

Six of the ships set sail from international waters off the coast of
Cyprus on 30 May, while two had mechanical problems and did not launch. 
On 31 May, Israeli authorities communicated to the ships that they
should redirect their path to Ashdod, but the ships replied that they
intended  to go to Gaza.

During the night of the 31st, after the flotilla did not comply with
Israeli directives, troops began to mobilize.  Helicopters approached
the ship and heavily armed troops rappelled down.  The heaviest attack
targeted the Mavi Marmara, but troops also boarded the other ships. 
They carried tear gas, stun grenades, and guns.  All the passengers on
the ships excluding the Mavi Marmara reacted nonviolently.  Many
passengers on the Mavi Marmara tried to find shelter and acted
nonviolently.  However, after it became clear that Israeli soldiers
would board the ship, some passengers responded violently.  This does
not appear to have been a planned reaction or condoned by the leaders of
the flotilla, but there also does not seem to have been a total
agreement to nonviolence beforehand.

During their assault on the Mavi Marmara, Israeli troops beat and opened
fire on the primarily nonviolent activists.  Some activists used
chains, clubs, and perhaps even knives as weapons against the attacking
commandos.  Activists heavily beat some commandoes, and soldiers beat
and shot many activists.  In the end, the clashes injured many activists
and killed nine, while they injured seven soldiers.

After the fights ended, Israeli forces towed the ships to shore in
Israel.  Israeli authorities agreed to deliver the goods from the ships
that the terms of the blockade did not forbid.  However, Hamas insisted
that they wanted to break the blockade instead of just receiving goods,
and they refused the entry of any goods unless Israel delivered all of
them.  As a result, Israel never delivered the goods.  Nevertheless, on
17 June Israel announced a relaxation of the blockade.

After the Israeli authorities towed the ships to shore, they placed the
activists in detention.  Israel began releasing activists on 1 June, and
they immediately deported all the activists after their release. 
Israel released and deported 300 activists on 2 June.  Some activists
continued to be held for several days, and Israel released the last
activists on 6 June.

Israel received severe criticism as a result of their attack on the
ships.  The UN eventually released a report criticizing Israel’s
actions.  Israel’s relationship with Turkey also suffered.