Palestinian boys read the Quran, Islam's holy book, at an Islamic school sponsored by Hamas in Gaza City, Tuesday, June 28. Scandinavian activists in the Gaza-bound flotilla say someone sabotaged their ship's propeller while the vessel was docked in a Greek port. The ship is shared by Swedish, Norwegian and Greek activists and is part of a 10-ship flotilla due to set sail shortly in a bid to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza. - AP Photo

JERUSALEM: Israel on Monday backtracked on its warning to foreign journalists covering the Gaza-bound flotilla, saying they would not face the same punishment as other participants in the convoy.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the authorities to draw up a special procedure for dealing with foreign journalists sailing on the flotilla that will enter Israel illegally,” said a statement from Netanyahu's office.

On Sunday, Israel's Government Press Office warned journalists sailing on the flotilla could be barred from the country for up to a decade and have their equipment confiscated.

The move was condemned by rights groups and the Tel Aviv-based Foreign Press Association (FPA) as a severe violation of the freedom of the press.

Netanyahu's office said he had been unaware of the original warning.

“When this was brought to the prime minister's attention, he ordered that normal procedures taken against infiltrators and those entering illegally not be applied to journalists,” the statement said. Netanyahu also said he would allow reporters to accompany the naval vessels sent to intercept the flotilla “in order to allow transparent and trustworthy coverage of the events.”

Later Monday, the FPA, which represents foreign journalists in Israel and the Palestinian territories, welcomed the change of heart.

“We are pleased to see that Israel has recognised the value of allowing reporters to cover an important news event, and understands that journalists should be treated differently from political activists,” it said in a statement.

About 10 boats are to take part in the so-called Freedom Flotilla II.

Its departure was timed to coincide with the first anniversary of an earlier attempt to break the blockade, during which Israeli troops stormed the lead ship, leaving nine Turkish activists dead.

Israel's security cabinet on Monday authorised the navy to intercept the boats and not allow them to reach Gaza.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and a number of governments, including Washington, have warned the flotilla not to set sail.

Israel imposed a blockade on the territory in 2006 after Gaza-based militants including members of the Islamist Hamas snatched Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

A ban on civilian goods and foodstuffs was eased last year, but many restrictions remain in place.