ISRAEL TO GIVE BACK AID SHIPS TO TURKEY ON THURSDAY

TEL AVIV (A.A) - 05.08.2010 - Israel will give back Thursday Turkey's aid ships that were seized on May 31.
In a statement issued Thursday, Israeli diplomats said that three tugboats are expected to be at the Israeli ports today to tug three Turkish aid ships which were seized by Israel on May 31.
Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects Turkey to prevent Turkish ships from breaking into the blockade of Gaza, the statement said.
Israel had decided on July 23 to give back the three aid ships based on a joint decision of all political authorities.
Nine people, including eight Turkish and one U.S. citizen of Turkish descent, were killed when Israeli forces raided a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on May 31. Around 30 people were wounded in the attack.
Israel detained the passengers of the ships for a few days after the raid, and sent the majority of the passengers to Turkey.
The aid in the ships were sent to border crossings to be distributed in Gaza.
"Mavi Marmara" ship has been kept at Haifa port, and the other two Turkish ships "Defne" and "Gazze (Gaza)" at Ashdod port.