Jerusalem, June 13 (DPA) Israel will appoint retired Supreme Court Judge Yakov Tirkel to head a probe into Israel’s seizure of flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists to the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday.

He told a meeting of ministers of his Likud Party that details of the commission of inquiry had been coordinated with the US.

Israeli naval commandos seized the six-ship flotilla May 31. Five boats were seized without incident.

On board the sixth, the Turkish Marvi Marama, Israeli forces battled knife and club-wielding activists, according to Israel.

Nine activists on the vessel, eight Turkish and one US citizen of Turkish descent, were shot dead by Israeli forces.

The raid resulted in fierce international criticism of Israel and calls for an international commission of inquiry to investigate what exactly took place as Israel seized the flotilla.