
Although there is an media blackout from the BBC when it comes to what is happening in Palestine and Gaza city, who would have thought it but the media blackout seems to now cover the humanitarian convoy itself.
After doing a quick search of google news - no news team, no news agency seems to be covering this anywhere. apart from PRESS TV that is.
The convoy is currently stuck in southern Jordan, near Aquaba - where they had hoped to board ferries taking them into Egypt. according to sources travelling with the convoy they have now been denied access by the Egyptian authorities.
A press release from Bristol Gaza link released yesterday (25Th December) suggests that the entire convoy team will now be on indefinite hunger strike.
George Galloway MP said yesterday with an interview with PRESS TV:
"It's a strange Christmas for us. We are stuck in Aqaba. 500 people, 210 vehicles, hundreds of tons of aid which is desperately needed in Gaza," Galloway said in an interview with Press TV on Friday.
Now the convoy and all the aid sits on a dockside in Aquaba.
Monica Margaret Jones, press correspondent for Bristol Gaza Link and Viva Palestina convoy member relays the message that:
"Tomorrow the entire convoy membership, regardless of faith background, will begin an indefinite hunger strike.
The convoy organisers yesterday held what was described as a 'tense' meeting with the Egyptian consul in Aqaba, in the course of which they were told the hundreds of tonnes of medical and other humanitarian aid could only be handed over to the Gazans if it was carried through the state of Israel and handed over to the United Nations Works and Relief Agency (UNWRA)"
"Convoy members do not accept this way of doing things. They regard the Palestinians as a sovereign people, who have the right to receive community based people-to-people aid in any way they see fit. They do not wish to collaborate with the Israelis, seeing them as responsible for the Gazans' suffering in the first place"
She goes on to talk about the wall surrounding Gaza:
"An iron wall is now being constructed around Gaza, to further cut off the people there. The hardened steel barrier has already been sunk more than 30 feet into the ground to prevent goods being carried into Gaza from Egypt through underground tunnels. Construction has begun above the surface.."
"It's very sad," says Bristol member David Cole, when asked his opinion of the stalemate in Aqaba.. "It's sad that we've got as far as we have, only to be told by the Egyptians we're not welcome. It's sad for the Palestinian people. Whether it's Christmas for them or not, they badly need this aid. We need to be strong, and pray."
"It's just not right," added Siba (age 19), the youngest member of the group from Bristol, who has driven a van carrying aid from Bristol to Jordan.
It is still hoped that the Egyptian authorities can be induced to change their minds.
Gazans have taken to the streets today to protest over the wall, the siege on Gaza and the stopping of the convoy.
You can contact the Egyptian embassy here and ask them to allow the convoy access to deliver the much needed aid to the people of Gaza.
UK? Contact Media, Government & MPs
& Contact the Egyptian Consulate in London
No. 2 Lowndes St. London, SW1X 9ET
Tel: 020 7235 9777 – Fax:020 7235 5684
consulate.london@mfa.gov.eg & eg.emb_london@mfa.gov.eg











