( CNN ) -- The deaths of nine people during a raid by Israeli soldiers on a flotilla bringing aid to Palestinians in Gaza has once again brought worldwide attention on Israel 's blockade of the area . Who organized the flotilla ? The Free Gaza Movement , a Cyprus-based human rights group , brought together a number of organizations to form the Freedom Flotilla . The coalition includes the European Campaign to end the siege of Gaza . Another pro-Palestinian group , Insani Yardim Vakfi ( IHH ) , a Turkish organization , also sent a ship . The flotilla left Cyprus on Sunday and had been due to arrive in Gaza on Monday . Why a flotilla ? The Free Gaza Movement says it wants to raise awareness of what it describes as the `` illegal siege on Gaza '' by Israel . It says the blockade of Gaza by Israel is unjustified and that it denies Palestinians vital goods and services . `` We want to raise international awareness about the prison-like closure of Gaza and pressure the international community to review its sanctions policy and end its support for continued Israeli occupation , '' the group says on its Web site . What does the convoy consist of ? Six ships -- three passenger and three cargo vessels -- carrying over 10,000 tons of aid and 600 passengers from more than 20 countries , says the Free Gaza Movement . Most of the passengers were Turkish . The cargo consists of food , medical aid and other supplies including cement , prefabricated housing and educational equipment , the group said . The Turkish prime minister said Monday that the vessels were inspected before they left port in Turkey to make sure the cargo did not include weapons . What does Israel say about the blockade ? The blockade was imposed by Israel in 2007 after the militant group Hamas seized control of the territory . It is designed to stop the smuggling of arms into Gaza , the Israeli government says . Israel says the Gaza shoreline is closed to maritime traffic . Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said Israeli civilians were plagued a year ago by rockets and missiles fired from Gaza that originated in places like Iran and Syria . What does the U.N. say about the blockade ? The U.N. has described the blockade of Gaza by Israel as the `` collective punishment '' of the Palestinian people living there . The United Nations has repeatedly criticized the blockade and the insufficient flow of materials into the area for basic needs and reconstruction . Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned the closure `` creates unacceptable suffering , hurts forces of moderation and empowers extremists . '' What goods does Israel allow into Gaza ? About 15,000 tons of humanitarian aid flows into Gaza each week , Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said . Israel says it allows enough humanitarian aid -- including food and medicines - into Gaza for the people who live there and that the blockade is designed to stop Hamas from building or acquiring arms . Israel has never published a list of banned items but it has refused to allow into Gaza books , paper , blankets and reconstruction materials . The U.N. says 80 percent of Gazans rely on some form of humanitarian aid . Why did Israel object to the flotilla ? The Israeli government described the flotilla has a `` provocation '' and said it was a political stunt . Danny Ayalon , the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister , said : `` The organizers ' intent was violent , their method was violent and the results were unfortunately violent . '' The Free Gaza Movement said the flotilla 's aim was to `` challenge Israel 's blockade of 1.5 million Palestinians trapped in an open-air prison . '' Was there another route for this aid ? The Israeli government said it would allow humanitarian aid on the flotilla into Gaza through its normal channels . An IDF spokesman said the vessels `` refused to comply with an invitation to come to Ashdod port where they could transfer aid into the Gaza strip . '' Audrey Bomse , legal advisor to the Free Gaza Movement , told CNN the group did not believe the Israelis would let the cargo into Gaza and that the cargo also included reconstruction aid which Israel does not allow into Gaza . How did things turn violent ? The Israel government says its soldiers faced violent resistance as they boarded the largest ship , the Marmara . The Free Gaza Movement denies there was violent resistance to Israeli soldiers , saying the soldiers immediately opened fire on unarmed civilians . Video released by the Israeli Defense Forces showed intense fighting on the decks of the ship . What happens next ? The ships were escorted to the Israeli port of Ashdod and 15 people who had been aboard were taken to an Israeli prison in Beer Sheva , according to a spokesman for the Israeli prison authority . Meanwhile diplomatic tensions rise . Turkey recalled its ambassador to Israel , there was widespread international condemnation of the Israeli operation and the U.N. Security Council met Monday . Have ships been sent to Gaza during the blockade before ? Yes , the Free Gaza Movement on its website says it has organized eight voyages to Gaza , `` successfully arriving in Gaza five times . '' The group said its `` boats are the first international ships to sail to the Gaza Strip since 1967 . ''
Free Gaza Movement says it wants to raise awareness of the ` ` illegal siege on Gaza '' Israeli spokesman says two tons of humanitarian aid flows into Gaza per year . UN has describes the occupation of Gaza as ` ` collective punishment '' Israel government spokesman says most of ` ` wanted violence ''