Ankara, June 03: Turkey’s foreign minister says three Turkish planes carrying hundreds of activists from a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza earlier this week have left Israel bound for Istanbul.
Ahmet Davutoglu says the take-off was delayed because Turkey “did not want any of its citizens to be left behind.”
Two more air ambulance planes, carrying 17 wounded activists, have already landed at a military base in Ankara.
Israel has come under harsh international condemnation after its commandos stormed a six-ship aid flotilla Monday in international waters, setting off clashes that killed nine activists and wounded dozens.
—Agencies