The Israeli seizure of an aid flotilla to the Gaza Strip in May suffered from operational and intelligence mistakes, an Israeli probe into the incident found Monday, DPA reported.
But the action was nonetheless "estimable" and the commandos who executed the raid acted properly and with professionalism, the report said.
The investigation, whose conclusions were released Monday, also found that the operation relied on a single course of action with no alternative plan prepared in case of complications.
The Israeli navy intercepted the six ship flotilla, which was carrying aid and activists to the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip, in the early hours of May 31.
While five of the ships were seized without incident, naval commandos battled activists on board the sixth ship, the Turkish Mavi Marmara. Nine Turkish nationals, including one with dual citizenship, were shot dead and 10 Israeli soldiers injured, three of them seriously.
The investigation conducted by eight officers headed by retired Major-Generasl Giora Eiland, focused on intelligence, the naval commando unit responsible for carrying out the operation, technological alternatives, medical aspects and legal counsel and international law.
Its 100-page findings were given to Israel Defence Force (IDF) Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi Monday.
The investigation found that "not all possible intelligence gathering methods were fully implemented and that the coordination between Navy Intelligence and the Israel Defence Intelligence was insufficient."
The report also found that the military had underestimated the anticipated level of violence used by pro-Palestinian activists on board the Marmara.
Nor were decision-makers given alternative operational courses of action other than a full boarding of the flotilla.
While admitting that "no country in the world has the ability to stop a vessel at sea in a non-hostile manner," the probe nonetheless concluded that "alternative courses of action could have existed had the process of preparation begun enough time in advance."
As regards the naval commandos who boarded the Mavi Maramra, the probe found they had operated "properly, with professionalism, bravery and resourcefulness" and the commanders had taken correct decisions.
The use of live ammunition against the activists, for which Israel was heavily criticised, was "justified," the report found. A senior official, briefing reporters on the report, said the commandos had been ordered not to open fire unless they felt their lives were in danger, and accused the activists on board the ship of shooting at soldiers, saying a bullet extracted from the knee of one soldier was of a different calibre to that used by the Israelis.
"There is no professional way to stop a ship the size of the Mavi Marama, without sending soldiers to board it," the senior official said.
Israel instituted the blockade after Palestinian militants staged a cross-border raid on June 25, 2006, and snatched an Israeli soldier, who is still being held in the enclave.
The international outcry following the seizure of the flotilla led Israel last month to relax its blockade, and now allows into the salient most-non civilian goods, while still keeping out weapons or any material used in weapon-production.