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The wounded transported to the hospital
Photo: Avishag Shaar Yeshuv

Diplomats: At least 4 Turks among flotilla's dead

Identities of nine people killed during deadly raid on aid sail to Gaza Strip still unclear; Turkish diplomats believe at least four fatalities are their citizens. Turkish FM says incident sure to impede peace process

Over a day after the deadly raid on the aid flotilla meant for the Gaza Strip, and the identities of its nine fatalities is still unclear.

 

Turkish diplomats said Tuesday that at least four of the dead were Turkish citizens. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is set to meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton later Tuesday.

 

Davutoglu has already been quoted as saying that the incident would have long-term effects on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

 

Ankara, Ynet learned, sent two military planes to transport the flotilla's wounded, who are treated in Israeli hospitals, back to Turkey. The latter's government has declined Turkish Airways offer to see to the wounded's transport.

 

Thirty-seven foreign nationals are hospitalized in Israel, 679 of the flotilla's activist have been arrested and dozens have already been deported.

 

One of the Turkish planes landed in the Haifa Air Field earlier Tuesday. Field Supervisor Yossi Gelsberg told Ynet that the plane was carrying a crew of 11 and a medical team of four.

 

"We treated them well and flew to Ben Gurion International Airport after talking to their consulate," he said. The second Turkish plane, he added, opted to fly directly to Ben-Gurion Airport.

 

Six of the soldiers wounded during Monday's raid are still hospitalized at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer and Rambam Medical Center in Haifa.

 

Two of the soldiers remain in moderate condition and the rest are suffering mild injuries.

 

Of the 37 Thirty-seven foreign nationals hospitalized, four remain in serious condition and the others are in moderate to mile condition.

 

The majority of wounded are Turkish, with some being Australian, British, Indonesian and Palestinian.

 

Tuesday afternoon saw the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon release 15 foreign nationals who were hospitalized Monday.

 

Several hospitals noted that some of the mildly wounded refused treatment.

 

Reuters contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.01.10, 16:48
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