Hundreds mark 11th anniversary of Israel attack on Gaza aid ship

Members of a group of NGOs led by the Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) gather to mark the anniversary of a deadly raid on Turkish-registered Mavi Marmara on May 31, 2021 in front of the residence of the Israeli Ambassador in Ankara [ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images]

Hundreds of protesters gathered in the Turkish capital, Ankara, and the city of Istanbul to mark the 11th anniversary of the Israeli navy’s attack on the Mavi Marmara aid ship en route to the besieged Gaza strip, Anadolu news agency reported.

Mavi Marmara – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]

Demonstrators gathered in front of the Israeli consulate in Istanbul and embassy in Ankara carrying banners denouncing the attack on the Turkish aid ship and calling to end the “Zionist genocide on Palestine”.

The event was organised by a number of civil society groups, led by the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (İHH).

On 31 May 2010, Israeli commandos raided the aid ship in international waters and killed nine activists, including Turkish nationals and an American of Turkish origin. Some 50 others were wounded. A tenth activist died of his injuries years later.

The ship was carrying about 750 human rights and political activists from 37 countries, who sought to break the Israeli land and sea blockade of the Gaza Strip.

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