In the UK and international press, the Guardian reports that many activists who planned to set sail in the flotilla from Greece to Gaza have returned home after unsuccessful attempts to leave Greek ports. Sky News reports that Greek officials released from custody the US captain of a ship that defied a Greek ban and attempted to set sail to Gaza. Reuters notes that the UN Security Council in July plans to discuss the possibility of Palestine becoming a member state of the UN. The Independent reports that Defence Minister Ehud Barak blocked the decision to return Palestinian bodies to the Palestinian Authority over concern that the gesture may affect the prisoner exchange negotiations involving the release of captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. BBC Online notes that the Israeli Air Force targeted and killed two Palestinian terrorists who were attempting to fire rockets into Israel. In developments in Syria, several papers report that 14 protesters were shot dead by government forces in Hama, and note that Amnesty International called for a UN backed investigation into the Syrian crackdown on the protesters.

In the Israeli press, Haaretz notes that President Shimon Peres called on Israel and Turkey to resolve their dispute over the Israeli Navy’s raid on a Turkish ship attempting to break the maritime blockade of Gaza last year. The Jerusalem Post notes that Israeli and Turkish officials are working together in New York to release a mutual statement to end the dispute, ahead of a UN report that is set to be released tomorrow. The paper also notes that the UN Security Council plans to discuss the Palestinian statehood bid in July. The papers report that Defence Minister Ehud Barak said yesterday that the remains of Hamas suicide bombers would not be returned to the Palestinian Authority (PA) as part of a goodwill gesture by Israel to return 84 bodies to the PA. All papers note that the Israel Air Force hit and killed two Palestinian terrorist cell members, who were attempting to launch a rocket from Gaza into Israel. Haaretz notes that after the aid flotilla was halted from leaving Greece for Gaza, pro-Palestinian activists are planning a new strategy to try and enter Israel by air. The paper also reports that Military Intelligence Chief, Major General Aviv Kochavi said yesterday that Iran and Hezbollah were actively helping the Syrian regime against anti-government protesters.