UK aid convoy crosses into Gaza

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Part of a 99-vehicle convoy bringing medicine, food, clothing and toys from the UK has reached Gaza after a 24-day journey through Europe and Africa.

Organised by the Viva Palestina group and backed by UK MP George Galloway, the convoy entered Gaza from Egypt.

It was held for a day because the Egyptian authorities objected to its carrying some non-medical goods.

Gaza is under a tight blockade by the Israeli military, which Egypt helps to enforce at the Rafah border crossing.

The Viva Palestina website said it took more than 90 minutes for all the vehicles to leave the two car parks in the Egyptian town of El-Arish where they stayed the night.

It said some non-medical aid had been unloaded in the line with negotiations with the Egyptians and would be delivered by the Egyptian Red Crescent.

The Egyptian RC is expected to deliver the non-medical aid via one of Israel's crossing points where it can be checked by the Israeli military.

Mr Galloway, a fierce critic of Israeli policies towards the Palestinians, said that more would follow and that Gazans should not feel they were alone. Mr Galloway kissed the ground after crossing into Gaza.

"I have entered Palestine many times but the most emotional of these is after the 22-day genocidal aggression against the Palestinian people," he told reporters, referring to the Israeli offensive which ended on 18 January which Israeli said was launched in response to rocket fire from Gaza."

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[ohio2007]

1. Part of a 99-vehicle convoy ...another article states it was a 110 vehicle convoy by the time it got

to Egypt

snip
They were due to cross over into the Hamas-run territory today, but were so far believed to have been detained at Rafah this morning for more than an hour.

The biggest attack faced so far by the 110-vehicle convoy, organised and led by the MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, came after it arrived in El-Arish on Saturday.

During a power cut – which is a frequent occurrence in the town – children had pelted the convoy with stones, a security official said.

"It's an absolute disgrace,'' convoy organiser Yvonne Ridley told the AFP news agency. "The power was cut. Under cover of darkness members of our convoy were attacked with stones.

"Vandals also wrote dirty words and anti-Hamas slogans. Several people in the convoy were injured in the attack."
snip
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5872129.ece

stragglers jumping into the convoy line ?

[Idealism]

2. Are you protesting against the possibility of more food and medical supplies?