After four calls to change course from Gaza to Ashdod were ignored, Israeli troops boarded the Irish-flagged Rachel Corrie some 28 miles out to sea and sailed it to the Israeli port of Ashdod. The ship's pro-Hamas activists were determined to break the Israeli blockade. No violence or injuries were reported.
The US said the siege was unsustainable but urged Rachel Corrie to put in at Ashdod.

Turkey threatened Friday, June 4 to break off relations unless Israel apologizes for the commando raid on its flotilla as prime minister Recep Erdogan hurled more abuse on Jerusalem and declared: "I do not think Hamas is a terrorist organization." Earlier, Israel offered offer to allow pro-Hamas activists aboard the Rachel Corrie to monitor its civilian freight's entry to the Gaza Strip - to no avail. A tape just released recorded Turkish activists on flotilla as saying before attacking Israeli commandos: "Remember September 11."

Five planes flew out of Israel Wednesday night, June 2, carrying hundreds of foreign passengers and nine bodies from the Turkish-led flotilla Israeli commandos raided and prevented from breaking the Gaza blockade two days ago. After surrendering to Turkey's ultimatum to release all the passengers, including the seven members of Islamist terrorist groups who assaulted the Israeli boarding party, debkafile reports the Netanyahu government faced a fresh ultimatum from Ankara: Lift the Gaza blockade now.