The Israeli Army Radio has reported that up to 16 people were killed - please view the video news report on this website as well:http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/05/201053133047995359.html
The actual number of confirmed deaths keeps rising as we report on this story. Some respectable news sources are reporting more than 20 people dead. [Revision: As of this writing, Jun.1, 2010, the horrible task of verifying the actual number of confirmed deaths is still unfinished, as the Israeli authorities are not co-operating with the international community to clarify the situation. The major establishment global media have now revised their number to "at least 10". -Editors]
Turkish television reportedly mentions more than 60 injured, says the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The paper also confirms a report by Al Jazeera that before the attack came, the Flotilla had even changed course to avoid any confrontation with the Israeli warships after they began threatening maneuvers against the Flotilla:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/at-least-10-activists-killed-in-israel-navy-clashes-onboard-gaza-aid-flotilla-1.293089
The Flotilla, carrying more than 700 volunteers and 10.000 tons of humanitarian aid, was attacked in International waters about 65kms away from Gaza in violation of all international laws including those that make piracy a crime punishable by the maximum penalty.
The ships were boarded by commandos who opened fire against the people of the ships as soon as they boarded. The Free Gaza Team, one of the groups of volunteers who helped organize the effort, report that the commandos "fired directly into the crowd of civilians asleep":
"Civilians Under Attack by Israel"
http://www.freegaza.org/en/home/press-releases/1191-civilians-under-attack-by-israel
Live streaming video from the ships shows the commandos boarding the Flotilla with weapons, as their helicopters hover above jamming the Flotilla's connection to satellite for navigation and communication:
http://www.livestream.com/insaniyardim
The video also shows scenes from the thousands of people in Turkey who have been angrily protesting since morning at the Israeli embassy. There have been efforts to storm the building. The Communist Party of Turkey is reportedly taking a leading role in the protests:
http://english.sol.org.tr/news/international/protests-increasing-turkey-1147
Meanwhile, the leadership of the fraudulent communist party in Cyprus that actually holds Government power in its hands, has been openly collaborating with Israel to suppress and dismember the Free Gaza Flotilla. First by banning it from Cyprus, then betraying agreements to provide assistance to the Flotilla's ships damaged by sabotage, and then by blocking several international personalities, including EuroParliament members, from boarding small boats to leave Cyprus to join the Flotilla in international waters.
There's no doubt that the Israeli apartheid regime took great comfort and encouragement by the despicable betrayals of the Cyprus ruling party, AKEL, which prompted the Government to collaborate with the Israeli operations.
There has been continuous, tense, and very heated political exchange in Cyprus in the last few days that revolves around the issue of the pseudo-socialist Government's motives for the abandonment and betrayal of our Palestinian friends and comrades.
Despite all sloganeering and posturing, all evidence points to the ruling party's alliance with the forces of Imperialism on many issues in recent years, but most importantly, on how it views the "final solution" to the Cyprus conflict. In co-operation with the US, the UK and other Imperialist forces, the AKEL party and the country's President Christofias favour a bizonal apartheid-based "solution" for Cyprus that will be founded on Race Laws and in accordance with the wishes of the US Government and those of Turkey's Government. Turkey is the military power that is illegally occupying Cyprus with weapons and support from the United States. "US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaffirmed yesterday her support for a just and lasting settlement for the people of Cyprus into a bizonal, bicommunal federation...":
http://news.pseka.net/index.php?module=article&id=10014
In that light, the ideological similarities between the Israeli Apartheid regime and the ruling party of Cyprus, AKEL, about what constitutes a "final solution" to the conflicts in our area that fuel racism, nationalism and genocide, are enough to explain WHY the Government collaborated with Israel to first debilitate and then attack the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.
We have condemned the action by the Cyprus Government and continue to oppose any and all of its justifications and rationalizations for collaborating with the butchers of the Israeli apartheid regime.
"This is the Cyprus Police Helicopter..."
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2010/05/this-is-cyprus-police-helicopter.html
Our deepest respect for the fallen comrades on the Free Gaza Flotilla.
Cyprus IndyMedia Collective
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Further Information
The Flotilla activists had been warned ahead of time by a leaked Israeli communication:
http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/cyprus-english-open-publishing/2010-May/0531-ft.html
Urgent: Demonstrate against Piracy and Massacre in international waters
http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/cyprus-english-open-publishing/2010-May/0531-ww.html
Protest at the Cyprus Embassy in Athens, Monday, 12 noon:
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1176770
Free Gaza Movement
http://www.freegaza.org/
WitnessGaza
http://www.witnessgaza.com/
Launch of Palestine Film Festival 1 June 2010
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2010/05/launch-of-palestine-film-festival-1.html
Targeting the Free Gaza Flotilla
http://counterpunch.org/leas05282010.html
Ενδο~Μήδεια / Cyprus IndyMedia
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/search/label/Palestine
ΕΝΑ ΚΑΡΑΒΙ ΓΙΑ ΤΗ ΓΑΖΑ ~ SHIP TO GAZA
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2010/05/ship-to-gaza.html
Independent Palestinian News Sources
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2009/08/independent-palestine-news-resources.html
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