Asian Solidarity Brings Aid To Gaza

By Saleh Hasan

GAZA, Jan 4 (Bernama) - A month after embarking on its mission, the "Asia 1" aid convoy arrived in Gaza on Monday in an attempt to break the Israeli embargo on the Palestinian enclave.

The convoy comprised 112 members from Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Japan, Kuwait and New Zealand.

They entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing after their flotilla docked at the Egyptian Al-Aresh Port.

Upon arrival at the Rafah crossing, Palestinian officials and people crowded around to welcome the convoy which started its long trip from India on Dec 2 to Syria and finally sailed to Egypt .

The group succeeded in bringing 1,000 tonnes of food supply, medicines and children's toys.

Their arrival coincided with the second anniversary of Israel's three-week offensive on Gaza that began on Dec 27, 2008.

During their visit in Gaza, the pro-Palestinian group visited the headquarters of the Palestinian parliament destroyed during the war.

At the headquarters of the International Red Cross in Gaza, the Asian activists attended a protest along with the families of Gazan prisoners calling for the immediate release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel's jails.

They chanted slogans and held placards, which among them, read "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves".

They also visited families of Palestinians who were killed during the assault to show their solidarity with them.

Meanwhile, the head of the Palestinian committee on breaking the siege, Ahmed Youssef greeted the convoy members and expressed the Palestinians' appreciation for their humanitarian effort.

"We highly appreciate your effort and we extend our thanks to your governments," he said when addressing the delegation.

Fayrouz Mesbrola from India, who was leading the "Asia 1" convoy, told a news conference that the mission was aimed at ending the inhumane siege of Gaza.

-- BERNAMA
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