Gazan official Haniya: we broke embargo thanks to Mavi Marmara martyrs

ISTANBUL (A.A) – January 2, 2012 - Ismail Haniya, the prime minister of Palestinian administration in Gaza, has said that they were able to break the embargo and won a victory over Israeli siege thanks to the martyrs of Mavi Marmara aid ship. Israel aimed to break the support extended to Palestine by raiding Mavi Marmara ship, added Haniya who held a press conference in front of Mavi Marmara ship at Halic shipyard in Istanbul on Monday. Nine Turkish nationals were killed when Israeli commandos raided Mavi Marmara, the lead vessel in a six-ship Gaza-bound aid flotilla, in May 2010. Haniya said that they built a place in Gaza Port for Mavi Marmara martyrs to remember them throughout the history. Noting that they would never give up Palestine cause and struggle for freedom, Haniya said that it was a loyalty to Mavi Marmara martyrs. Haniya thanked Turkish people, government, political parties and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for not leaving Palestine alone, and for supporting it all the time. Haniya also visited Mavi Marmara ship, and spoke with the families of the Turkish citizens who were killed aboard the ship.