Gaza Freedom Flotilla

This article is about the 2010 flotilla. For the 2010 flotilla raid and its aftermath, see Gaza flotilla raid. For other flotillas, see Gaza freedom flotilla (disambiguation).

Gaza Flotilla Route

32°38′28″N 33°34′02″E / 32.64113°N 33.56727°E / 32.64113; 33.56727

Blockade of the
Gaza Strip
Crossings
2004 - 2009
2010
2011 - present
Groups involved

The Gaza Freedom Flotilla was a small fleet of ships organized in 2010 by the Free Gaza Movement and the Turkish Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (İHH) carrying humanitarian aid and construction materials with the intention of breaking the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.[1][2][3] In typical circumstances, aid is first brought to Israel to be inspected and then transferred to Gaza.[4]

On 31 May 2010, Israeli forces boarded the ships in a raid from speedboats and helicopters. Following resistance on one of the boats, nine activists were killed by Israeli forces. Widespread international condemnation of and reaction to the raid followed, Israel–Turkey relations were strained, and Israel subsequently eased its blockade on the Gaza Strip.

  1. ^ Buck, Tobias; Dombey, Daniel; Strauss, Delphine (31 May 2010). "Israel condemned after flotilla attack". Financial Times. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  2. ^ Black, Ian; Haroon Siddique (31 May 2010). "Q&A: The Gaza Freedom flotilla". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference washingtonpost1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Ravid, Barak (27 May 2010). "Israel: Gaza aid convoy can unload cargo in Ashdod for inspection". Haaretz. Retrieved 13 July 2014.