Free Gaza boats depart, transporting stranded Palestinians

Date: 28 / 08 / 2008  Time:  14:05
Gaza – Ma'an –

Two siege-breaking boatloads of international human rights advocates will leave the Gaza Strip on Thursday afternoon, bringing with them seven Palestinians who have been unable to leave due to the Israeli blockade.

Among the Palestinians leaving is 10-year-old Saed Mosleh from Beit Hanoun who lost his leg due to Israeli shelling. Saed is leaving Gaza with his father to seek medical treatment.

“I can’t believe we’re finally able to leave for medical treatment,” said Khaled Mosleh, Saed’s father. “This is a miracle of God.”

Also on board are the Darwish family, who will be reunited with their relatives in Cyprus.

Nine international human rights advocates will remain in Gaza to do longer-term monitoring and accompaniment, and one, Dr. Bill Dienst of Omak, Washington, will attempt to cross into Israel later today via the Erez crossing. A Jewish Israeli activist, Jeff Halper, was arrested on Tuesday after entering Israel through the same crossing.

The 44 activists sailed to Gaza on Saturday evening carrying a shipment of medical supplies. They have vowed to return to Gaza on another blockade-challenging mission.

Israel has laid siege to the Gaza Strip since June 2007, trapping 1.5 million Palestinians inside and severely limiting shipments of vital supplies of food, fuel, electricity and medicine.

“I missed the start of the Berlin Wall coming down by just a few days, but now I know how people felt when they tore down those first few bricks. This has been a huge victory of people over power,” said Yvonne Ridley, a British journalist and member for the Free Gaza Movement.

Free Gaza boats leaving with Palestinians on board

Thursday August 28, 2008 16:07 by Palestine News Network - PNN

After successfully breaking the siege on Gaza via sea on Saturday, the Free Gaza boats were slated to leave at 2 pm instead of the previously slated morning departure. Seven Palestinians who have been previously been denied exit visas will be leaving with them.

The Darwish family is seeking to be reunited with other family members, while the Mosleh father and son are going out for medical treatment. The expected students are not on board as they had no visas for Cyprus

Jamal Khudari, the Chairman of the People to Confront the Siege on Gaza, confirmed that seven Palestinians are on the boats. He told PNN that they have Cypriot passports which the students did not.

Free Gaza reports that among the Palestinians leaving is 10 year old Sa’ed Mosleh from Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. Sa’ed lost his leg due to an Israeli tank shell and is leaving Gaza with his father to seek medical treatment. Also on board is the Darwish family, who will finally be reunited with their relatives in Cyprus.

"I can't believe we're finally able to leave for medical treatment," said Khaled Mosleh, Saed's father. "This is a miracle of God."

The Free Gaza movement states their names as: Maha M.S. Darwish, mother, Omar Darwish, age 5, Sami M.J. Darwish, age 14, Ayman M.J. Darwish, age 17, Tawfiq M.J. Darwish, age 18, Khaled Mosleh, father, Sa’ed Mosleh, age 10.

Nine international human rights workers are staying behind in Gaza to monitor the humananitarian situation.

Khudari: We are seeking establishment of Cyprus-Gaza sea route

[ 28/08/2008 - 12:10 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

MP Jamal Al-Khudari, the chairman of the popular anti siege committee, has disclosed that his committee, in cooperation with foreign solidarity activists, was seeking to establish a sea route connecting between Gaza Strip and Cyprus to break the siege imposed on the Strip.

Khudari told Quds Press that his committee was trying to establish a permanent sea line between Gaza and Cyprus that would serve as an outlet for Gazans to Europe in coordination with the Cypriot authorities.

He said that the issue was not easy and would take time and effort, but pointed out that it would be legal and would fall in line with the legal framework organizing such activity.

The step would be taken in stages and the siege-breaking  sea voyages would continue at the same time, the MP elaborated.

Khudari said that agreement was reached with the foreign sympathizers to coordinate all acts within a legal framework, and added that Palestinian territorial waters would be exploited for the higher interest of the Palestinian people. "Israel has nothing to do with this matter", he underlined.