Members of the UN Security Council have condemned Israel ahead of an emergency session over Israel's deadly raid on a flotilla of ships carrying aid to Gaza.
At least nine pro-Palestinian activists, some Turkish, were killed when Israeli commandos stormed the ships in international waters.
Turkey's foreign minister called Israel's actions "murder by a state".
Israel's UN envoy said troops acted in self defence when activists attacked them, charges the campaigners deny.
"This flotilla was anything but a humanitarian mission," Israel's deputy UN ambassador Daniel Carmon said.
He said the activists had used "knives, clubs and other weapons" to attack the soldiers who boarded the ship.
The campaigners insist the soldiers opened fire without any provocation.
International outrage
Most of the activists killed are believed to have been Turkish, and Turkey led a chorus of criticism of Israel at the United Nations in New York.
"In simplest terms this is tantamount to banditry and piracy. It is murder conducted by a state," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.
"A nation state which follows this path has lost its legitimacy as a respectful member of the international community," he added.
None of the other 15 members of the Security Council was so outspoken in their individual statements, issued ahead of a possible official UN Security Council resolution, but most called for a full investigation and were critical of Israeli actions.
Many - including veto-wielding members France, Russia and China - also demanded an end to the Israeli blockade on Gaza which the aid ships were trying to break.
Israel's closest ally, the United States, expressed concern, although deputy US ambassador to the UN, Alejando Wolff, said it was still not clear what had happened.
"The US is deeply disturbed by the recent violence and regrets the tragic loss of life and injury suffered among those involved in the incident last night, aboard the Gaza bound ships," he said.
"We are working to ascertain the facts. We expect a credible and transparent investigation and strongly urge the Israeli government to investigate the incident fully," he added.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also called for a full inquiry.
Draft text
Based on the stated positions of Security Council members, it is difficult to see how they can agree on a consensus statement, but that is what they are trying to do now behind closed doors, the BBC's Barbara Plett reports from the UN headquarters.
Diplomats say the draft text condemns the Israeli raid, requests immediate release of the impounded ships, and calls for an international investigation, our correspondent says.
Washington will face pressure to join the international condemnation of Israel, she adds.
There have been demonstrations against the Israeli operation in cities around the world and several countries summoned their Israeli ambassadors demanding an explanation for the violence.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned the Israeli "massacre" and declared three days of mourning across the West Bank.
The Arab League has called for an emergency meeting on Tuesday, as Jordan and Egypt - the two Arab states with peace deals with Israel - sharply condemned the violence.
For many critics of Israel - on the streets and in foreign ministries - it is not just about this single incident at sea, serious and deadly though it was, says the BBC's Jeremy Bowen in Jerusalem.
It is about a pattern of violent and disproportionate behaviour, with Israel playing to its own rules rather than international law, our correspondent says.
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