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| Israel expels Gaza aid ship team | Israel expels Gaza aid ship team |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Israel has expelled activists and journalists on a Lebanese ship carrying aid for Gaza, who were held on Thursday after Israel's navy seized the ship. | |
| Israeli forces beat and kicked some those on board, said an al-Jazeera reporter on the ship, although Israel said no "acts of violence" occurred. | |
| Israel also denied claims its gunboats had fired on the ship, the latest to try to break the blockade on Gaza. | |
| Israel allowed blood products from the vessel to enter Gaza by road on Friday. | Israel allowed blood products from the vessel to enter Gaza by road on Friday. |
| The Israeli military said no weapons had been found on the ship. | The Israeli military said no weapons had been found on the ship. |
| Earlier it had said the ship could be a security threat or be used for smuggling banned equipment. | Earlier it had said the ship could be a security threat or be used for smuggling banned equipment. |
| Fifteen people - Syrian and Lebanese nationals - had been transferred to Lebanon and Syria, police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told the Associated Press news agency. | Fifteen people - Syrian and Lebanese nationals - had been transferred to Lebanon and Syria, police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told the Associated Press news agency. |
| Another three, two Indians and one Briton, were in police custody pending deportation, he said. | Another three, two Indians and one Briton, were in police custody pending deportation, he said. |
| The former Greek-Catholic archbishop of Jerusalem, 84-year-old Monsignor Hilarion Capucci, was among those sent to Syria, reports said. | The former Greek-Catholic archbishop of Jerusalem, 84-year-old Monsignor Hilarion Capucci, was among those sent to Syria, reports said. |
| The former archbishop had served time in an Israeli jail in the 1970s for his membership of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). | The former archbishop had served time in an Israeli jail in the 1970s for his membership of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). |
| "The Israeli army confiscated all our videotapes; we were separated from each other, we were blindfolded and handcuffed," al-Jazeera reporter Salam Khader said on the Arab satellite television channel. | "The Israeli army confiscated all our videotapes; we were separated from each other, we were blindfolded and handcuffed," al-Jazeera reporter Salam Khader said on the Arab satellite television channel. |
| "They beat some of us... the soldiers kicked Dr Hani Suleiman [one of the co-ordinators of the ship's mission], in the chest and back." | "They beat some of us... the soldiers kicked Dr Hani Suleiman [one of the co-ordinators of the ship's mission], in the chest and back." |
| "During the takeover of the ship, no acts of violence occurred and there was no need to use excessive force," the Israeli military said in a statement. | |
| Activists aboard | Activists aboard |
| Activists said the Togo-flagged Tali ship was carrying medical supplies, food, clothing and toys. | Activists said the Togo-flagged Tali ship was carrying medical supplies, food, clothing and toys. |
| Under an Israeli-imposed blockade, only basic humanitarian items - mainly food and medicines - are allowed into the territory. | Under an Israeli-imposed blockade, only basic humanitarian items - mainly food and medicines - are allowed into the territory. |
| The flow of goods into Gaza has increased since the recent Israeli military campaign there, but aid agencies say more goods and a wider range of supplies are essential for the strip's recovery. | The flow of goods into Gaza has increased since the recent Israeli military campaign there, but aid agencies say more goods and a wider range of supplies are essential for the strip's recovery. |
| An organiser of the shipment, Maen Bashur, said the ship had been confronted by an Israeli military boat 32km (19 miles) off the Gazan coast late on Wednesday. | An organiser of the shipment, Maen Bashur, said the ship had been confronted by an Israeli military boat 32km (19 miles) off the Gazan coast late on Wednesday. |
| Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the Israeli navy had requested the ship head towards Egypt, and only boarded it after it headed back towards Gaza. | Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the Israeli navy had requested the ship head towards Egypt, and only boarded it after it headed back towards Gaza. |
| Israel pulled troops and settlers out of Gaza in 2005, but still controls the strips border crossings, airspace and coastal waters. | Israel pulled troops and settlers out of Gaza in 2005, but still controls the strips border crossings, airspace and coastal waters. |
| It initially allowed a number of similar ships to dock, but more recently has begun turning them back. | It initially allowed a number of similar ships to dock, but more recently has begun turning them back. |
| This was the first time Israeli troops had boarded a vessel seeking to reach Gaza. | This was the first time Israeli troops had boarded a vessel seeking to reach Gaza. |
| Israel ended a three week military campaign in Gaza on 18 January. About 1,300 Gazans were killed, about a third of them civilians. During the fighting, 13 Israelis were killed, 10 of them soldiers. | Israel ended a three week military campaign in Gaza on 18 January. About 1,300 Gazans were killed, about a third of them civilians. During the fighting, 13 Israelis were killed, 10 of them soldiers. |