The funeral of one of the Turkish victims of the Gaza flotilla raid, at the Beyazit mosque in Istanbul.
Pressure in mounting on Israel to alow an independant inquiry into its assault on the Gaza aid ships after it was revealed by the autopsy reports of the bodies of those killed, that they were fired at close range.
According to the vice-chairman of the Turkish council of forensic medicine, which carried out the autopsies for the Turkish ministry of justice, nine Turkish men on board the Mavi Marmara were shot a total of 30 times and five were killed by gunshot wounds to the head,
The findings emerged as more survivors gave their horrid accounts of the deadly raids. The chairman of Leicester-based group Friends of al-Aqsa, Ismail Patel who returned to Britain today, told how he was witness to the fatal shootings and claimed that Israel had operated a “shoot to kill policy”.
According to eyewitnesses Israeli commandos shot one person every minute. It has also emerged that apart from the fatally wounded, 48 others were suffering from gunshot wounds and six activists remained missing, suggesting the death toll may increase above 20.
The new information about the intensity and manner of the killings undermines Israel’s insistence that its soldiers opened fire only in self defence and in response to attacks by the activists. Furthermore it is highly improbable that the peace activists might be carrying weapons with them in the aid ships.
The Forensic results also revealed that a 60-year-old man, Ibrahim Bilgen, was shot four times in the temple, chest, hip and back. Another Fulkan Dogan, a 19-year-old, US citizen, was shot five times from less that 45cm, in the face, twice in the leg, in the back of the head, and once in the back. Two other men were shot four times, and five of the victims were shot either in the back of the head or in the back, said Yalcin Buyuk, vice-chairman of the council of forensic medicine.
Andrew Slaughter British MP, and a member of the all party group on Britain and Palestine, said that given the very disturbing evidence which contradicts the line from the Israeli media and suggests that Israelis have been very selective in the way they have addressed this, there is now an overwhelming need for an international inquiry.
Protesters from all over UK are expected to march on Sunday from Downing Street to the Israeli embassy to call for Israel to be held to account for its actions.
Guys its Israel’s way of diverting attention of its misdoings by drawing parallels. But this time it looks that Israel has chewed more than it can bite. Israel has always kept its Inhuman and barbaric actions away from the international eyes by denying acces to world media on its horrifying tortures,massacres and genocide in Gaza,Lebanon & Occupied territories. But this recent attack on peaceful activists has exposed the beastly nature of Israel and its hawking politicians. What is more surprising is that it is trying to compare its barbaric act with acts in other Countries. Thailand is the only country pointed out by Israel that can be equated with this henious act. Either way Israel has done more inhuman & barbaric acts in the past and has got away with it. So even this will be forgotten & burried under the numerous henious acts of Israel.
Another BLOOD SOAKED FEATHER/S in ISRAELS CAP OF KILLINGS & GENOCIDE of innocent masses.
Where is the defender of Democracy,the so called Land of Free, The So called Super Cop of the World. Bunch of Hypocrites. But Truth Shall Prevail.