Last week, the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, a convoy of six ships and 380 people delivering humanitarian aid, set out from Istanbul to challenge Israel's longstanding blockade of Gaza, a territory that is controlled by the militant group Hamas. The Israeli navy seized the flotilla on May 31 in international waters and raided the main ship, killing nine and wounding up to 60 activists. Because of conflicting reports, it is unclear which side instigated violence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the attack on the flotilla, as well as the Gaza blockade. But the UN Security Council and dozens of nations have since condemned Israel for its act. The conflict has only further antagonized relations between the country and its neighbors in the Middle East.