Honolulu peace activist Ann Wright was one of about 700 people taken into custody by Israeli defense forces after a raid on a flotilla of boats carrying aid to Gaza left nine people dead, friends of Wright's confirmed.

Kyle Kajihiro of the American Friends Service Committee and Arnie Kotler, publisher of a book by Wright, said they recognized Wright in a video of the detainees taken in Ashdod, an Israeli port. The video was posted on YouTube and several news sites.

News reports said all detainees would be deported immediately, reversing an earlier plan to hold them for an extended period and possibly pressing charges against a few.

Joanne Moore, a spokeswoman for the State Department, said it had no information about specific Americans being detained.

Wright's plans to join the eight-vessel flotilla were widely known among local peace activists. Wright first gained prominence in 2003 when, as a retired Army colonel and U.S. diplomat, she resigned from the State Department over the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

She has been active in Gaza issues during the past two years, speaking out against an Israeli blockade of the Palestinian area, Kotler said. Wright participated in an attempted border crossing into Gaza through Egypt in December, said Kotler, whose Maui-based company, Koa Books, published Wright's “;Dissent: Voices of Conscience”; in 2008.

“;It's the saddest situation in Gaza,”; he said. “;The blockade has been horrific.”;

Kajihiro said Wright is “;extremely committed to peace and justice and has taken great risks for those causes,”; adding, “;We were shocked and outraged that Israel would take this military action.”;

In an article published Thursday on the website CommonDreams.org, Wright predicted Israel would try to stop the flotilla but did not foresee fatalities.

“;The Israeli navy has been practicing its plan for preventing us from docking in Gaza, a plan that probably includes demanding by radio that the ships change course away from Gaza, firing weapons in front of the ships, ramming the ships and sending well-armed boarding parties onto the ships,”; she wrote.

Israel has said its commandos fired on passengers aboard the lead vessel when confronted by knife- and club-wielding activists, a characterization denied by the activists.

The flotilla was organized by a group called Free Gaza. Spokeswoman Greta Berlin said in an e-mail that she had not heard from Wright.

“;She is fine though,”; Berlin wrote.

In Honolulu, peace groups held a rally yesterday outside the federal building on Ala Moana Boulevard to protest the Israeli action. Waving posters denouncing Israel and U.S. support for Israeli policy, the demonstrators appealed to drivers for support. Many of the activists said they knew Wright personally.

“;Ann is so inspirational,”; said Carolyn Hadfield. “;She has that military background, so she must have soberly assessed the risks and decided it was worth it.”;

Michael Rivero, webmaster of the activist website whatreallyhappened.com, said Wright is “;a very well-liked, very well-respected peace activist.”; He likened the Israeli raid to piracy and called it “;an act of war.”;