Gaza Still Under Israeli Siege, Freedom Flotilla on Humanitarian Mission, Says Al-Khudari

[ 20/05/2010 - 12:29 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Palestinian MP Jamal Al-Khudari, the head of the popular committee against the siege, has retorted to Israeli claims that Gaza Strip was not besieged, saying that Gaza has been under strict Israeli siege for the past four years.

Al-Khudari, in a press release on Thursday, said that the siege breaking ships were carrying humanitarian and relief material including prefabricated homes for those who were displaced in the Israeli war on Gaza and medical equipment to the wounded and sick patients.

He underlined that 500 Palestinians had died during more than one thousand days of siege, which is the biggest proof of the shortage of medical equipment and necessary medication and which in turn refutes the Israeli claim that supplies to Gaza never ceased.

The MP noted that Israeli leaders had previously acknowledged the siege on Gaza, saying it was of political nature.

He renewed insistence of the participants in the Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza and distribute their humanitarian assistance there.

For its part, the European campaign to end the siege on Gaza, one of the organizers of the Freedom Flotilla, said that many media outlets had asked to be included in the sea voyage especially following the Israeli threats to intercept the vessels at sea.

Dr. Arafat Madi, the head of the European campaign, said in a press release on Thursday that about ten major European media outlets would be aboard the "boat 8000", one of the boats accompanying the Flotilla, adding that the campaign was forced not to accept more requests from foreign solidarity activists to join the fleet because there was no more room for them.

He warned Israel that any "foolishness" committed against the Flotilla that includes European nationals from 20 countries would entail a big "publicity price".

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