Breaking News: Up to 20 dead in Israel Gaza flotilla massacre, say reports

At least 20 unarmed humanitarians killed, according to reports from Gaza TV News. The link goes to the Facebook page of the Irish based protesters that bravely travelled into the eye of the storm. They are calling for Israeli ambassador to be expelled from Ireland.

Report at Aljazzera.com says all the ships were attacked simultaneoulsy by marine commandos. Many had their faces covered and some wore gas masks:

Israeli marine commandos had opened fire as they stormed one of the ships the (Mavi Marmara). Israeli television justified the commandosâ€™ massacre claiming that the soldiers were attacked with knives and axes, but did not elaborate. The Israeli censor blocks all reports on the activists murdered on the flotilla.

According to a reporter on one of the ships, the Israeli occupation army raided all vessels from the sea and air at the same time and informed all of the passengers that they were under arrest.

The Israeli vessels, the report said, attacked the flotilla in international waters with aerial reinforcement, using gas. A Qatari television channel broadcast live the dramatic images from the ships, with Hamas spokespeople giving interviews and vowing to punish Israel for "the new crime".

The images showed Commando soldiers with their faces covered. A fighter in uniform, wearing a gas mask, tried to block the camera with his hand, while more and more troops raided the ship after sliding down from a helicopter using a rope.

One of the passengers on the ship called out to the Navy vessels, "Don't attack us. We are unarmed civilians. There are injured people onboard."

The calls were first made in English, and were later joined by Knesset Member Hanin Zuabi (Balad), who called out to the ships in Hebrew.

Turkey summoned the Israeli ambassador to the Turkish foreign ministry Monday. "The ambassador (Gabby Levy) was summoned to the foreign ministry. We will convey our reaction in the strongest terms," the diplomat, who asked not to be named, told AFP.

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