Istanbul: Guinea-Bissau authorities halted the departure of a three-ship flotilla headed towards Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid from Turkey, media reported.

Organisers said that the country's flags were removed from two ships after a surprise inspection conducted by the Guinea-Bissau International Ships Registry just before the planned departure, reported AP.

The checks started shortly before the scheduled departure of the flotilla from Turkey to Gaza.

A statement from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition described the cancellation of the ships' registration as a "blatantly political move."

The organisers alleged that a close co-ordination between Israel and Guinea-Bissau was behind the action.

A large number of Turkish and people from other countries had participated in the cause and they were disappointed by the cancellation.

“It is very hard for us because it takes time to procure a flag. It’s a procedure that can’t be done in a few days. … But we’re not giving up,” organizer and steering committee member Torstein Dahle told The Associated Press.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition consists of Turkish and international organisations, including the IHH and the Mavi Marmara Association from Turkey.

These organisations were also involved in arranging a controversial flotilla in 2010.

On May 31, 2010, Israeli commandos launched a raid on the Mavi Marmara, which was in international waters at the time. The incident escalated into a bloody clash that resulted in the deaths of nine people and left several activists injured. Seven Israeli soldiers were wounded during the altercation, as activists attacked them with clubs, knives, and pipes.