487 Freedom Activists Jailed by Zionists

The Zionist regime has jailed some 487 international activists captured during its deadly commando raid on the Gaza-bound aid convoy Freedom Flotilla, while 48 others are to be "expelled."

Those detained activists remain in custody at the southern Zionist prison of Ashdod while the remaining 48 will be taken to Ben Gurion airport to be sent back to their home countries, AFP quoted a report by "Israel's" public radio as saying on Tuesday.

The international activists were interrogated by Zionist occupation police on Tuesday, a day after the Gaza-bound flotilla they traveling on was attacked by occupation commando forces in international waters, 150km (90 miles) from Gaza.

The pre-dawn attack left up to 20 people killed, according to al-Aqsa TV channel, and some 50 others injured who are being treated in "Israeli" hospitals.

The fatal operation has drawn widespread condemnation from the international community and prompted countries around the world to summon "Israeli" ambassadors to ask for explanation.

The UN Security Council convened in an emergency session to discuss Israel's attack on the flotilla, with most members of the 15-nation body calling for a thorough investigation. The UNSC issued a late-night "moderate" statement in which it "deeply regretted" the attack on the Freedom Flotilla, yet failed to impose an immediate investigation into the matter and came short of condemning "Israel" for the atrocious attck.

There were many Turks among the 700 activists accompanying the six-ship convoy, the matter which impelled Turkey to demand the session.

The international campaigners also included "Israelis" and Palestinians as well as Americans and many Europeans -- among them politicians, a Jewish Holocaust survivor and Swedish author.

The Zionist regime is holding the detainees under severe media censorship and actually cut off from the outside world, ensuring no contradiction of its version of Monday's events. However, the regime did reveal a footage of its "humane" conduct of taking some activists off one of the ships to be sent to prison.

Tel Aviv insists that nine activists were killed in the naval attack on a Turkish cruise ship, which Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified as an act of "self-defense."

Gaza Freedom Flotilla was carrying more than 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid to break the years-long siege of the Gaza Strip, which has pushed the coastal sliver on the verge of starvation.