EU condemns attack on flotilla

The European Union has condemned the Israeli attack on a flotilla of ships carrying aid to Gaza and has called for an “immediate, full and impartial inquiry” into the incident.

“The EU condemns the use of violence that has produced a high number of victims among the members of the flotilla and demands an immediate, full and impartial inquiry into the events and the circumstances surrounding it,” ambassadors from the 27 EU countries said in a statement issued in Brussels on Monday.

“The EU calls upon relevant actors to prevent escalation of tensions and underlines the need to continue the proximity talks with a view to resume peace negotiations,” AFP quoted the ambassadors as saying.

The EU diplomats voiced concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, adding that the “EU does not accept the continued policy of closure, it is unacceptable and politically counter-productive, we need to urgently achieve a durable solution to the situation in Gaza.”

The Israeli navy attacked the Freedom Flotilla, which was carrying humanitarian assistance to Gaza, in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea early on Monday, killing at least 20 people on board the six ships, mostly Turkish nationals.

About 50 others were injured, according to Palestinian sources.