The Israeli intelligence service made mistakes during the deadly storming of ships taking aid to the Gaza strip, a former military official today acknowledged.

FLAWED intelligence- gathering and planning led to Israel’s botched and deadly raid on a Gaza- bound protest flotilla, with security forces underestimating the potential for violence, said the official report released yesterday.

An armed group linked to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ ruling Fatah party today announced it would be willing to accept a ceasefire if Israel also agrees to stop its attacks.

Israeli and Palestinian security chiefs had a meeting set for today to discuss implementation of a ceasefire negotiated by CIA director George Tenet, after violence coloured the first day of the truce.