UPDATE - Turkish PM to make statement on Israel talks Monday

UPDATES WITH BACKGROUND ON FLOTILLA ATTACK

By Mumin Altas

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim will make a statement about reconciliation negotiations with Israel on Monday, sources at the Prime Ministry told Anadolu Agency.

According to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, Yildirim is due to make a statement at 1 p.m. local time (1000 GMT) regarding the stage at which negotiations with Israel have reached.

Turkey and Israel have been holding talks to normalize relations more than six years after Israeli troops stormed a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters.

In 2010, six civilian ships in a humanitarian aid flotilla were attacked in international waters by Israeli forces.

The flotilla organized by a coalition of nongovernmental organizations from 37 countries had been trying to break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Nine Turkish citizens were killed and 30 other people injured, including one person who died nearly four years after being critically injured in the attack.

Turkey had requested an apology from Israel, compensation for the families of those killed in the attack as well as removal of Israel’s blockade on Gaza.

In 2013, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had apologized to then Turkish premier and now current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the attack.