In the pre-dawn hours of Monday, May 31, 2010, showing a terrifying disregard for human life, Israeli naval forces surrounded and boarded ships sailing to bring humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip. On the largest ship, the Mavi Marmara, Israeli commandos opened fire on civilian passengers, killing 9 passengers and wounding many more.

Cultures of Resistance (CoR) Director Iara Lee was aboard the Mavi Marmara. At a press conference at the United Nations on June 10, 2010, she offered her personal testimony about what she witnessed that fateful night. Despite the Israeli government’s efforts to confiscate all footage taken during the attack, Lee and CoR Director of Photography Srdjan Stojiljkovic were able to retain some of the video they captured. This short film includes excerpts of that footage and of Iara Lee’s testimony.

The footage is also available on Vimeo.