Israel has refused to cooperate with the UN Human Rights Council in a probe into a deadly Israeli attack on an international Gaza-bound aid convoy, a UN official says.

A member of the UN fact-finding mission, Juan Carlos Monge, said Israel has not allowed free access to officials and witnesses unlike Turkey and Jordan.

Tel Aviv said on Tuesday that it would not comment on the UN official’s claim, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer heads the UN panel, with former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe acting as its vice chairman.

On May 31, Israeli commandos attacked the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla in international waters, killing nine pro-Palestinian Turkish activists.

Dozens of the activists onboard the ship suffered injuries during the assault and many reportedly had their belongings stolen.

The convoy was carrying thousands of tons of supplies for 1.5 million impoverished people of Gaza, who have been under siege since 2007.

The UN committee is expected to disclose the results of its investigation into the Israeli attack in an initial progress report in mid-September.

(Press TV)