Italian senator condemns world silence towards Gaza siege

[ 26/05/2009 - 09:48 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Italian senator Fernando Rossi, who is leading the “Hope” convoy of medical assistance to the Gaza Strip, has denounced the Israeli siege of Gaza and the world silence towards such a humanitarian crisis.

Addressing a joint press conference with Palestinian labor and social affairs minister Ahmed Al-Kurd in Rafah on Monday evening, Rossi said that he or she that does not refuse this siege is not a free person.

He said that the “Hope” convoy faced various difficulties over the past three weeks and especially in the past couple of days when the Egyptian authorities refused to allow it access into Gaza but finally agreed to let it enter.

For his part, Al-Kurd welcomed the convoy and called for greater efforts to end the Israeli oppressive siege of Gaza.

“Our call on the entire world is enough to the collective punishment of this (Palestinian) people, this siege contravenes all international treaties,” the minister asserted.

He expressed disappointment because Egypt banned two thirds of the convoy members from entering Gaza and hoped that it would allow them access on Tuesday.

Hope Convoy participants tour Gaza

Date: 27 / 05 / 2009  Time:  11:34
Gaza - Ma’an –

A delegation of European parliament members and pro-Palestinian activists toured key sites in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday after arriving with a shipment of medical supplies on Monday night.

Sixteen members of the Hope for Gaza Convoy entered through the Rafah crossing after Egypt turned dozens of other riders back at the border. The hundred-strong party travelled from Italy with ambulances and truckloads of wheelchairs and other supplies that have been made scarce in Gaza by Israel’s import restrictions.

The delegation visited Gaza’s largest hospital, Ash-Shifa, delivering some of the medical supplies there. Doctors explained the conditions of treatment for the sick and wounded.

Then the delegation went to the the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) building, which was destroyed by an Israeli air raid in January. Acting PLC speaker Ahmad Bahar received the group there.

Bahar praised the efforts the delegation made to enter Gaza, and expressed regret for the Egypt’s action. He called on Egyptian authorities to facilitate the entrance of solidarity delegations and to open the Rafah crossing permanently.

The delegation also bore witness to the destruction left behind by Israel’s army, in the Atatra, Saltayn and Izbat Abed Rabbo areas.

Israel’s three-week onslaught on Gaza in December and January left nearly 1,500 Palestinians dead. A two-year long blockade has also made reconstruction impossible, as all building materials are prohibited by Israel.

The "Hope" convoy enters Gaza after reaching agreement with Egypt

[ 25/05/2009 - 08:53 PM ]

BRUSSELS, (PIC)--

The "Hope" convoy which has travelled from Italy to Egypt by sea has finally entered the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border after reaching an agreement with the Egyptian authorities.

Coordinator of the convoy, Rami Abdu, said in a press statement that the 40 trucks including 12 ambulances entered the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing after reaching an agreement with the Egyptian authorities to allow all the trucks in and only 22 sympathisers including a number of European lawmakers.

Abdu added that in addition to the ambulances the trucks carried special equipment to help disabled people and much needed medicines and medical supplies, noting that 12 European lawmakers from Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Ireland, and the UK accompanied the convoy which was led by Italian Senator Fernando Rossi.

The convoy started its journey from Italy by sea early May. It was supposed to unload at Alexandria and continue by land to the Gaza Strip, by the Egyptian authorities diverted the ship to Port Said where it was allowed to unload.

Moussa appeals to Egypt to allow hope convoy into besieged Gaza

[ 25/05/2009 - 08:04 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Deputy head of Hamas parliamentary bloc Yahya Moussa on Monday appealed to the Egyptian authorities to facilitate the passage of the European hope convoy so as to be able to perform its humanitarian mission and bring the smile back to faces of war victims.

“The mind is perplexed and cannot understand the Egyptian regime’s official attitude towards the Palestinian people who have been suffering for decades from the Zionist occupation,” MP Moussa said in a press statement to the PIC.

The lawmaker expressed regret for the confusion that beset the Egyptian role which was supportive of the Palestinian cause and the national liberation movements in the Arab countries.

In the same context, Palestinian deputy premier Ziyad Al-Zaza called on the Egyptian government to open the Rafah border crossing not only for the hope convoy, but also for the movement of Palestinians from and into the Gaza Strip.

Deputy premier Zaza underlined that the best way to pressure Israel and international forces to lift the siege on the Palestinian people in Gaza is through allowing humanitarian convoys to cross into Gaza instead of putting obstacles in their way.

He noted that the decision to prevent the hope convoy from crossing into Gaza was taken after the Egyptian authorities stamped the convoy members’ passports and gave them full approval, adding that Egypt did not give any reason for this arbitrary measure.

In a press statement published by the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper, sheikh Nasr Wasel, the former Mufti of Egypt strongly denounced the Egyptian regime for continuing to close the borders with Gaza for the third consecutive year, considering such behavior participation in the war declared on Muslims.

Sheikh Wasel stated that any excuse used by Arab regime to justify their reluctance to help Gaza people is not accepted by Islam and other divine religions, highlighting that the Rafah tunnels are considered the only artery to keep the Palestinians alive and thus it is Islamically forbidden to destroy these tunnels.

The former Mufti also criticized some Arab regimes for refusing to support the Palestinian resistance movements especially Hamas, saying that supporting the resistance is an inescapable religious obligation imposed on all Muslim leaders.