Free Gaza: 21 more miles to Strip; Israeli navy continues to surround ship

Date: 30 / 06 / 2009  Time:  09:28
Gaza – Ma’an –

At least five Israeli warships are attempting to halt a ferry carrying civilians and supplies, which is attempting to break the siege on the Gaza Strip.

According to a statement from the Free Gaza movement, the Sprit of Humanity ship was intercepted by Israel’s navy 60 kilometers from Gaza early Tuesday. The Israeli warships issued an ultimatum, urging the ship to turn back, though statements from the crew indicate the ship will continue on toward the Strip.

The most recent communication from the ship said “21 more miles and they will be there. Still 'escorted' by two Israeli gun boats.”

The ship set sail from the port of Lanarca, Cyprus on Monday after being delayed by Cypriot authorities. The activists planned to arrive in Gaza on Tuesday in what would have been their fourth successful voyage. Two other attempts to break Israel’s naval blockade were thwarted by the navy.

Twenty-one human rights advocates representing 11 different countries are aboard the ship. The passengers include Nobel laureate Mairead Maguire, former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and 83-year-old Holocaust survivor Heddy Epstein.

The converted ferry boat carries three tons of medical aid, children's toys, and rehabilitation and reconstruction kits for twenty family homes.

Israel's military spokesperson unit had no information to release about the ship. Attempts to contact the Israeli Foreign Ministry were unsuccessful.

“This aid is desperately needed by the people of Gaza,” said Nobel Laureate Maguire in a statement relayed from on board the ship. “President Obama has called upon the Palestinians to abandon violence but Israel is denying them the right to non-violently resist the siege of Gaza.”

At 1:30am, the crew of the ship said, Israeli warships surrounded the boat and threatened to open fire if they did not turn around. They said that when they refused to turn back, the Israeli navy “began jamming their instrumentation, blocking their GPS, radar, and navigation systems.”

Responding to this, Congresswoman McKinney declared, according to the statement, "I am extremely angry. We demand that the Israeli government call off their attack dogs. We are unarmed civilians aboard an unarmed boat delivering medical and reconstruction aid to other human beings in Gaza. Why in God's name would Israel want to attack us?"

Another ship was due to arrive in Gaza on 26 June, but the organizers cancelled the trip after Israel threatened to stop all solidarity ships and send them back.

***Updated 13:18 Bethlehem time

Free Gaza humanitarian aid boat surrounded by Israeli navy gunships

Tuesday June 30, 2009 07:17 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

The 'Free Gaza' movement has reported that their boat, the 'Spirit of Humanity', departed Cyprus Monday morning to bring much-needed humanitarian aid, medicine and building supplies to the people of Gaza. As soon as the boat began to get near the Gaza Strip, the Israeli navy surrounded them with gunships and jammed their navigation systems, according to eyewitnesses.

According to Free Gaza movement spokespeople, the "Spirit of Humanity" departed Cyprus at 7:30am on Monday, 29 July. Twenty-one human rights and solidarity workers representing eleven different countries were aboard. The passengers include Nobel laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. congresswoman Cynthia McKinney.

The movement's team in Cyprus report receiving a cellphone call from boat passengers saying that the Israeli navy had surrounded the boat and was pointing guns at all the passengers. In the background, they report hearing organizer Huwaida Arraf shouting at the Israeli naval commanders, "You cannot open fire on unarmed civilians", and repeating this statement a number of times.

Foremer US Green Party Presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney, who is a passenger on the boat, stated, "I am extremely angry. We demand that the Israeli government call off their attack dogs. We are unarmed civilians aboard an unarmed boat delivering medical and reconstruction aid to other human beings in Gaza. Why in God's name would Israel want to attack us and threaten our safety and welfare. I call on President Obama and the international community to intervene now to prevent this situation from escalating with potentially drastic results to the civilians on board."

The ship carries three tons of medical aid, children's toys, and rehabilitation and reconstruction kits for twenty family homes. Each kit carries a small amount of supplies for a single family, representing sectors of civil society currently being blockaded by Israel: Agriculture, Building & Reconstruction, Education, Electricity, Health, and Water & Sanitation. Although over 4 billion dollars in aid was promised to Gaza in the aftermath of the Israeli onslaught, little humanitarian aid and no reconstruction supplies have been allowed in.

The movement has called on supporters to call the Israeli naval commander to prevent an attack on the unarmed humanitarian aid mission. More information can be found on their website, linked below:

European campaign: Israeli threats were the reason for delaying Free Gaza boats

 [ 29/06/2009 - 04:13 PM ]

BRUSSELS, (PIC)--

The European campaign for ending the siege stated Monday that the Free Gaza boats which were supposed to sail for the Gaza Strip at the end of last week left this morning the Cypriot port of Larnaca, adding that this delay was caused by the Israeli threats to intercept them at sea.

Spokesman for the European campaign Rami Abdo said that the Free Gaza movement notified the ministry of foreign affairs and the ministry of war in Israel that the boats would sail on a humanitarian mission and asked not to intercept them. 

Abdo noted that Israel made during the last period a number of threats against Free Gaza, adding that the US embassy and some European consulates in Greece also informed the organizers that the participants in the sea trip to Gaza could face real dangers from Israeli gunboats this time.

He categorically denied what was said that the Cypriot authorities prevented the boats from moving to Gaza, stressing that the Cypriot authorities demonstrated, and still are, cooperation and understanding of the humanitarian goals of the Free Gaza movement.    The spokesman pointed out that the Free Gaza delegation had conducted extensive contacts with Greek officials to prevent Israel from intercepting the boats.

The spokesman affirmed that the next two months would witness a growing momentum of anti-siege events and activities including the largest land convoy organized ever that would be heading from New York to Gaza.

The European campaign for ending the siege is intending to organize events soon throughout the European continent on the first anniversary of the Israeli war on Gaza.