Palestinian humanitarian aid convoy on the move again

The Viva Palestina humanitarian aid convoy, consisting of over 200 trucks and carrying food, medical aid and educational materials, has headed for the Gaza strip via Syria.

The convoy is carrying humanitarian aid for Palestinians who live in Gaza. The convoy had been halted in Jordan after Egypt would not allow the convoy to travel from Aqaba, Jordan across the Red Sea to Egypt, which would have been a trip of approximately four hours. In response, some members of the convoy began a hunger strike and even threatened to burn the vehicles if they could not continue on to Gaza, while other members lobbied ambassadors and the public for help in pressuring Egypt to give permission to the convoy to travel through to Gaza. Members of the convoy also held a sit-in near Egypt's embassy in Jordan on Sunday. Led by British MP George Galloway, the convoy is now headed to Syria after being stuck in Aqaba, Jordan since December 24. The convoy started moving again on Monday and organizers hope to access Gaza through Egypt through El-Arish and Syria. A Turkish mediator had negotiated the new travel route for the aid convoy, one which requires the convoy to drive back into Syria, board ferries and travel to Egypt via boat. The new route is anticipated to take two days travel, and convoy organizers have been frustrated in being so close to Gaza but not able to access the area. El-Arish is a port city on the Mediterranean, and apparently this route was proposed by Egypt. The convoy volunteers accepted the alternative, although they had attempted to get to Gaza through a shorter route last week. One volunteer on the convoy, Ali Abu Al Sukkar, who sits on the coordination committee, told press

"We left Aqaba, heading back to Latakia in Syria from where we will take a ship after two days to El Arish port. We are not seeking confrontations with Egypt. We just want to enter Gaza and Egyptians promised that we all will enter Gaza provided that we enter through El Arish and this is what we will do."

Israeli newspapers claim that the humanitarian aid is unnecessary, and say it will only benefit Hamas. An article in Arutz Sheva stated

"This is the third such convoy to make the trip to Gaza from Europe within the past 12 months. Among the 250 vehicles are ambulances that were donated as well as buses and trucks filled with medical and school supplies, equipment and food, which humanitarian aide workers continue to claim is badly needed, despite visual evidence to the contrary. Hamas previously has confiscated several ambulances to use them for their own terrorist forces."

The same article also stated that Galloway had failed in his

"... attempts to manipulate international leaders and the media ..."

Other sources claim that Viva Palestina is an organization that supports Hamas, using the cover of providing humanitarian aid. The organization is a registered charity in the United Kingdom. Around 80 trucks had left Britain on December 6 and the convoy grew to 250 trucks and approximately 500 volunteers as it travelled through Europe. In the meanwhile, there are over 1,000 people who have gathered in Egypt in the past few days as part of a Freedom March. They plan to drive into Gaza to mark the one-year anniversary of last year's war. Among the Freedom March participants is 85-year old Holocaust survivor, Hedy Epstein. Epstein told press she was participating in the Freedom March because

"It is important to let the besieged Gazan people know they are not alone. I want to tell the people I meet in Gaza that I am a representative of many people in my city and in other places in the US who are outraged at what the US, Israeli and European governments are doing to the Palestinians and that our numbers are growing."

Epstein had participated in the hunger strike in an attempt to get the Viva Palestina aid convoy moving again. Of the Freedom March participants, one Irish MP was refused entry into Gaza, while another British politician was placed under house arrest in Egypt. Egypt's position on the aid convoy has generated a great deal of anger in some parts of the world.