Dateline Israel

Israel's attack on a Gaza-bound aid convoy is evolving into a political storm. But the international community should continue exerting pressure on Israel to change its hard-line stance and release the ships and aid workers it has detained.

World leaders are justified in lashing out at Israel because its Monday raid was targeted at a humanitarian fleet of ships in international waters, in which nine people were killed. There is no excuse for such blatant defiance of international rules and attack on humanitarian aid.

A day after the deadly raid, Israeli officials and international activists both said they would not budge from their positions and were preparing for the next round. This is even more worrisome because it could lead to another fatal clash.