Gaza flotilla participants aspire to die as martyrs

On May 30, a flotilla of ships set out to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Participants were filmed on board chanting Islamic battle cries that invoked the killing of Jews, and expressing desire to seek Martyrdom. The next day, the Israeli army boarded the flotilla and was met with a well-coordinated attack, leading to the death of 9 flotilla participants. The following is a description of the mood on the ship before the confrontation:

Dr. Abd Al-Fatah Shayyeq Naaman, lecturer in Shari'ah law at a university in Yemen, visiting in Gaza:      "The [Gaza] flotilla commander said yesterday: 'We will not allow the Zionists to get near us and we will use resistance against them.'
How will they wage resistance? They will resist with their fingernails. They are people who seek Martyrdom for Allah, as much as they want to reach Gaza, but the first [Martyrdom] is more desirable."