Turkish Charity Readies New Aid Flotilla to Gaza
May 31, 2011 | Read Time: 1 minute
The Turkish aid charity whose effort last year to break Israel’s Gaza Strip blockade ended with a fatal raid by the Israeli navy, is readying a second, larger flotilla to challenge the embargo, Bloomberg reports.
Islamic foundation IHH, in Istanbul, is preparing the Mavi Marmara, the ship boarded by Israeli commandos in the 2010 raid that killed nine Turkish activists, to lead the new 15-ship voyage the charity says intends to deliver aid to Gaza.
The incident, which Israel asserts was triggered by fighting by pro-Palestinian activists aboard the ship, strained relations between Israel and Turkey and prompted international calls to end the blockade, which Israel says is necessary to prevent arms-smuggling to Hamas-controlled Gaza.
