UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations has begun handing out humanitarian aid that was on a Gaza Strip-bound Turkish flotilla hit by a deadly Israeli commando raid last month, the UN press office said on Thursday.
'The first truckloads of the Turkish flotilla cargo entered Gaza yesterday,' it said in a statement.
'The United Nations is working on distributing those goods to appropriate beneficiaries,' it said. 'The rest of the cargo is scheduled to enter Gaza in the weeks ahead.' Israeli commandos boarded ships in the flotilla as it headed towards the Gaza Strip on May 31. Nine Turkish pro-Palestinian activists on one of the vessels were killed.
The ships and cargo were taken to an Israeli port and the aid is being taken to Gaza overland.
Under pressure to investigate the incident, Israel launched an inquiry with two international observers. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon is pushing for a separate UN investigation with both Israeli and Turkish participation.
The flotilla incident soured Israel's strategic ties with Turkey, an important Islamic ally which has since recalled its ambassador and canceled joint military exercises.