Israel inquiry finds Gaza aid flotilla raid 'was legal'

An Israeli inquiry has found the country's navy acted legally in a deadly raid on a flotilla of aid ships trying to reach Gaza last May.

The raid, in which nine Turkish activists were killed, attracted widespread international condemnation.

Correspondents say the report will probably be dismissed by Israel's critics as biased.

A separate UN inquiry last year said the navy had shown an "unacceptable level of brutality".

Israel's actions severely strained relations with its long-time ally, Turkey.

The 300-page Turkel Committee report found the actions of the Israeli navy in the raid and Israel's naval blockade of Gaza were both legal under international law.

The panel of inquiry - headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Jacob Turkel, with five Israeli members and two international observers - was set up in June.

One of the inquiry's members died aged 93 during its hearings.

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