The Israel Defense Force committee investigating the navy’s deadly raid on a Turkish-flagged aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip found the incident to be the consequence of failed intelligence and a lack of proper preparation for the operation, according to its report released on Monday.
Nine Turkish pro-Palestinian activists were killed in the May 31 raid after they used clubs and knives to attack Israel Navy commandos boarding the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara. Israel had previously warned that it would take over the ships to enforce its blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces approaching Gaza flotilla
The committee led by Maj. Gen. (res. ) Giora Eiland, however, characterized the failures made at the planning level as “mistakes,” rather than as negligence or fault. The report also found that the navy would have had no means to stop the ship at sea without endangering the vessel, and thus backed the decision to carry out a commando operation.
Read the full story at HAARETZ.COM.
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