Israel paid Turkey $20 million on Friday in compensation for the 2010 attack on the Mavi Marmara Freedom Flotilla which sailed in international waters heading for the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid, Anadoulu has reported, citing Turkish diplomatic sources.
On August 20, the Turkish parliament approved a deal which would see Tel Aviv paying $20 million to the families of the victims of the assault as part of a normalization agreement between Turkey and Israel after a six-year break in ties.
Nine humanitarian activists were killed during the attack by Israeli commandos, and one more died of his wounds later.
Israel pays #Turkey $20m for #MaviMarmara tragedyhttps://t.co/DqLNecqSwu pic.twitter.com/2hgo2qknK6
— TRT World (@trtworld) October 1, 2016
In the aftermath of the attack, Turkey demanded an official apology from Israel, compensation for the families of those killed, and the lifting of Israel’s Gaza blockade.
In 2013, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced regret over the incident to Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In addition to the compensation, Israel has agreed to Turkey’s humanitarian presence in the occupied Gaza Strip.
However, Israel has indicated that it will not lift the siege on Gaza.
(MEMO, PC)
