Israel delaying women's flotilla to Gaza

A siege-busting flotilla to Gaza, which was set to arrive in early October carrying 30 women from around the world on two ships, got off to a late start.

The Zaytouna (Olive), one of the accompanying ships, set off only late in the afternoon after being delayed for many hours by local Italian police.

The flotilla's organizers say Israel was causing the delays.

One of the passengers of the Flotilla, Zohar Regev, an Israeli who has relocated to Spain, spoke in an interview on the flotilla's website.

Regev discussed her expectation of Israel to use force to stop the flotilla.

"We are committed to non-violence. We will not give Israel a reason to attack us violently," Regev stated.

She continued, "You need courageous people to set out on a flotilla like this. Silence on Israeli actions would be an outrageous injustice and shame."

Mairead Maguire, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate from Northern Ireland, was also on board.

Maguire's husband was killed during the Israeli attack on another siege-busting ship in 2010.