Israeli Commandos Kill at Least 10 in Massacre Against 'Freedom Flotilla' Heading for Gaza

Israel's defense minister has expressed regret for the deaths of pro-Palestinian activists in a clash with navy commandos. But he has blamed the violence on organizers of a flotilla carrying aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Speaking at a news conference in Tel Aviv, Ehud Barak called the aid flotilla a "political provocation" by anti-Israel forces. He said the sponsors of the flotilla are violent.

Israel's military chief, Lt Gen Gabi Ashkenazi, said soldiers were forced by violent activists to respond with live fire.

More than 10 pro-Palestinian activists were killed after attacking naval commandos who were halting the "Freedom Flotilla" heading toward the blockaded Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli army.

The army said the soldiers were attacked with knives and clubs as they boarded the six vessels.

The violence turned deadly after one of the activists grabbed a weapon from one of the commandos, the army said. The weapon discharged, though it was not clear whether the activist fired it or if it went off accidentally.

Dozens of people were wounded, both soldiers and activists. Israeli Arab groups say a prominent activist is among the wounded.

Unconfirmed media reports from Hamas' Al Aqsa television said up to 20 passengers had been killed, of whom nine were Turkish nationals.

Israel's security forces were placed on high alert to handle any on high "possible disturbances" and the military censor blocked the reporting of any information about people killed or injured and transferred to Israeli hospitals after the incident.

Israel expressed its "sorrow" over those killed, an Israeli cabinet minister said.

"I can only express my sorrow over all the deaths," the industry and trade minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer told army radio by phone from Doha where he is attending the World Economic Forum.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu would stay in Canada and not return home in the wake of a deadly navy raid, a senior official with the delegation said.

"The prime minister is not leaving, he will carry on with his schedule," the official told reporters in Ottawa.

An AFP correspondent traveling with the delegation said the situation was one of "complete confusion."

"First were were ordered to pack, then we were told to put everything on hold," he said, adding that an official had said members of the delegation were currently "in consultations."

Earlier, Israel public radio had reported that Mr. Netanyahu was to cut short his trip to return home in the wake of a deadly pre-dawn raid by the Israeli navy.

The Israeli leader is due to visit the White House on Tuesday for talks with U.S. President Barack Obama, aimed at mending ties between the two allies which have been strained due to a spat over Jewish settlements.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas slammed the raid as "a massacre."

"We consider this to be a massacre and we condemn it," an official from Abbas' office said on Palestinian television, announcing a three-day mourning period.

"We will have to take some difficult decisions this evening."

Hamas immediately urged Arabs and Muslims to "rise up" in front of Israeli embassies across the globe in protest against the raid on the fleet of aid ships, among them Turkish vessels.

"We call on all Arabs and Muslims to rise up in front of Zionist embassies across the whole world," said a Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, using the Arabic word 'intifada.'

Ismail Haniya, the Islamist movement's prime minister in Gaza, slammed the "ugly attack" in a statement in which he called for "the United Nations to protect the activists" on board the boats.

Arab League chief Amr Mussa slammed the raid as a "crime" against a humanitarian mission.