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Hamas naval policemen, holding Palestinian flags, patrol the sea off the coast of Gaza City. Image Credit: AFP

Cairo: Arab League chief Amr Moussa slammed a deadly Israeli military raid on Monday against a boat carrying aid for Gaza as a "crime" against a humanitarian mission.

"We condemn this crime, taken against a humanitarian mission and people. They were trying to help people. They were not on a military mission. Everyone should condemn this," Moussa said.
 
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"We are now conducting calls to Arabs to decide on our next step," said Moussa, who heads the 22-country organisation based in Cairo.

The Israeli army said "more than 10 people were killed" when navy seals stormed the boat, ending a high-profile mission by six ships to bring supplies to the blockaded Palestinian Gaza Strip.

According to Israel's private channel 10 television, Israeli marine commandos had opened fire after being attacked with axes and knives by a number of the passengers on board the aid ships, the television said, without giving the source of its information.

It was not clear whether the clashes took place on just one of the six boats making up the aid convoy.