Over 600 activists transferred to Israeli jails

JERUSALEM, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Israeli authority Tuesday morning finished questioning some 679 peace activists from the Gaza-bound aid flotilla, and most of them refused to fly back to their residential countries and are detained in Israeli jails.

Israeli Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sabin Hadad told Xinhua that, in total 679 people questioned, 45 activists had chosen to return to their countries, while the remainder were transported to detention at Beer Sheba Prison in the south.

"They had signed a document stating that they chose not to fly back to their countries," said the spokeswoman.

Local daily Haaretz reported that some 46 civilians, mostly Turkish, are still being treated in Israeli hospitals, among them nine in serious condition. In the meanwhile, six soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are also hospitalized.

Clashes happened early Monday morning when Israeli navy backed with helicopters raided a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. IDF updated the death toll of the activists to nine, and numerous were injured during the clashes including seven Israeli soldiers.

IDF spokesperson's office told Xinhua Tuesday morning that so far the army is checking the goods from the flotilla, and it is expected that the goods will be transferred to Gaza via Kerem Shalom crossing later Tuesday.

The six-vessel flotilla, aiming at focusing world attention on the plight of the Gazans, consists of more than 10,000 tons of aid, stationery, medical supplies and construction materials as well as hundreds of peace activists from over 40 countries.

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