Israel boards Gaza-bound ships, 10 dead - military

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Israeli commandos intercepted Gaza-bound aid ships on Monday and at least 10 pro-Palestinian activists on board were killed in bloodshed that plunged Israel into a diplomatic crisis.

Israel's military said its troops came under gunfire and knife attack during the takeover.

"Our initial findings show that at least 10 convoy participants were killed," an Israeli military spokesman said, adding that at least four soldiers were wounded.

The convoy of aid and foreign activists had set off in international waters off Cyprus on Sunday in defiance of the Israeli-led blockade of Gaza and warnings that it would be intercepted.

Israel had expected the operation to end without bloodshed and had prepared tents in an Israeli port for detainees. The incident created a diplomatic storm with long-time Muslim ally Turkey, whose flag some of the six ships were flying.

The Turkish government said it "strongly protested" the military action, calling the interception unacceptable.

"Israel will have to endure the consequences of this behaviour"a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said.

Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel had not wanted a violent confrontation.

"We made repeated offers that they should bring the boats to the port of Ashdod and from there we guaranteed that all humanitarian cargo would be transferred to the people of Gaza," he said.

"Unfortunately this group decided on confrontation. They decided on violence...And when our navy had to intercept, our young servicemen were attacked with live ammunition."

Israel has said it was determined to maintain its blockade of the Gaza Strip, a territory of 1.5 million people that is controlled by Hamas Islamists opposed to U.S.-mediated Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Israel's Western allies have been critical of the embargo on the impoverished enclave, which the Jewish state says is aimed at preventing arms supplies from reaching Hamas by sea.

It has previously halted such activist ships, although some others have reached the Gaza Strip before.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Fatah faction lost control of the Gaza Strip in fighting with Hamas in 2007, declared three days of mourning in the Palestinian territories.