Hague slams Israel over arrests

Mr Hague told MPs he was "seriously concerned" the UK citizens had been seized in international waters and he complained that consular officials had not been given access to all those being held.

Altogether, 37 UK nationals were detained.

Among them was Mohammed Bhaiyat, 26, of Bradford, who was believed to be on a flight to Turkey last night.

Another Paveen Yaqub, 39, of Honley, near Huddersfield, called her family to let them know she was safe, phoning from the Be'er Sheva jail where she was being held.

Last night, Israel decided to deport all those held after opting not to prosecute any of the activists taken into custody during Monday's raid.

Israel's Attorney General said that "keeping them here would do more damage to the country's vital interests than good".

Two days after the storming of the flotilla by Israeli commandos, Mr Hague said: "There is real understandable and justified anger at the events which have unfolded.

"In some cases consular staff have been having to go to the prison at Be'er Sheva, hammer on doors and ask people if they are British. It has been a chaotic situation, it is completely unsatisfactory."

The Richmond MP also raised the issue of why the flotilla was stopped by the Israelis, who have claimed they opened fire only after coming under attack.

"We are seriously concerned about the seizure of British nationals in international waters and this aspect of the Israeli operation must form a key part of the investigation into these events," he said.

David Cameron, taking his first Prime Minister's Questions, said he had spoken to Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to offer his condolences for the deaths of Turkish nationals, who are thought to account for most of the nine activists killed.

"Friends of Israel – and I count myself a friend of Israel – should be saying to the Israelis that the blockade actually strengthens Hamas's grip on the economy and on Gaza, and it's in their own interests to lift it and allow these vital supplies to get through," he said.

Ms Yaqub's Colne Valley Conservative MP Jason McCartney said he had raised her case with Foreign Office Ministers.

"We are trying to find out when she is getting home. She is well known to a lot of people in the area," he said.

Nearly 700 activists from various countries were seized in the Israeli operation.

Mr Hague said it was now essential the inquiry called for by the United Nations Security Council was able to establish whether more could have been done to reduce the number of deaths and injuries in the operation.

"We will take the same principled stand across all our diplomatic efforts and stress to the Israeli government the need for it to act with restraint and in line with its international obligations, given that its actions appear to have gone beyond what was warranted or proportionate," he said

He warned that the current situation in Gaza was "unacceptable and unsustainable" and disclosed he had held discussions with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on increasing the flow of aid to the territory.

Meanwhile, Egypt eased its blockade of Gaza after the assault and at the newly opened crossing in the border town of Rafah, about 300 Palestinians entered through Gaza's main gateway to the outside world.

A smaller number entered Gaza from Egypt and humanitarian aid also came in including blankets, tents and 13 power generators donated by Russia and Oman.