Palestinian officials rejected the findings of an Israeli investigation committee that soldiers acted legally when they attacked a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters last May.

The Israeli commandos' raid killed nine pro-Palestinian activists, mostly Turks onboard the flotilla, which raised strong international condemnation.

"The investigation results are unacceptable and strongly rejected because they came from a panel with no credibility," said Ghassan Al-Khatib, spokesman for the Palestinian government in the West Bank.

The report of the inquiry committee defended the naval assault on the Gaza Strip and the decision to prevent the flotilla from reaching Gaza.

Al-Khatib said that a neutral party should have investigated the raid on the ship Mavi Marmara. "It makes no sense that Israel, which is blamed on the incident, to examine what had happened," he added.

Israel eased Gaza siege to calm down global criticism after the raid, but still keeps enforcing the maritime blockade.

Meanwhile, Gaza's ruling Hamas group also criticized the report, saying that "the criminal should not be the judge at the same time. "

Israel imposed blockade on Gaza after Hamas captured an Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and held him hostage in the coastal enclave in 2006, then tightened the blockade a year later after Hamas took over Gaza.