No cooking gas for Eid; industrial fuel being transferred into Gaza

Date: 04 / 12 / 2008  Time:  14:17
Gaza – Ma’an –

Israel allowed a shipment of 50 thousand liters of industrial diesel into Gaza on Thursday afternoon, with another 400 thousand liters expected after the partial opening of the Nahal Oz crossing in northern Gaza on Wednesday.

Shipments of cooking gas for Gaza, however, were blocked for the 29th consecutive day, leading most locals to assume they will not be able to prepare the traditionally large Eid Al-Adha meals.

During the month of Ramadan no extra supplies of cooking gas were transferred into Gaza, and aid organizations reported that supply for the last 17 months has satisfied about 30% of demand.

For the last 29 days, however, no cooking fuel has been allowed into Gaza despite urgent humanitarian appeals from local and international human rights organizations.

Bakeries and restaurants have largely shut down since no fuel was available to power stoves and ovens, and most families have reported running out of the fuel. Many are now turning to old paraffin stoves, and a small industry manufacturing handmade wood burning ovens out of the tunnel sand has sprung up to meet local needs.

As the celebration commemorating the courage of Abraham to heed God’s calls to sacrifice his eldest son, Eid Al-Adha, draws close, Gazans are afraid they will have no means to celebrate. Appeals have been sent to the international community to pressure Israel into allowing cooking gas into the Strip, but no response has come through.

Ship from Qatar to land in Gaza during Eid; Two million USD in medical supplies on board

Date: 04 / 12 / 2008  Time:  11:42
Gaza – Ma’an –

Two million US dollars in medical supplies and a delegation of Qatari dignitaries will be on board the next ship that attempts to enter Gaza waters, said member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Jamal Al-Khudari.

The ship, according to Al-Khudari, will land in Gaza during Eid Al-Adha, and the delegates will spend the holiday with Gazans. They will distribute supplies and tour the area in order to get a sense of what life in the besieged area is like.

Some of the delegates set to be on board the Qatari ship are members of the Qatar Charatible Organization including its secretary and general director. The Governor of Qatar Nasser Al-Qa’abi will sail on the ship as well as member of the charitable organization Hassan Abdel Rahim.

El Khodary: “Decision of Arab leaders in Israel to send a ship to Gaza, positive step against the siege

Thursday December 04, 2008 01:24 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian Legislator and head of the Popular Committee Against the Siege (PCAS), Jamal EL Khodary, stated on Wednesday that the decision of Arab leaders in Israel to send a ship filled with aid to the besieged Gaza Strip carries two messages; all Palestinians are one nation, and a call to the Arab world to act and end this unjust Israeli siege.

El Khodary thanked and welcomed all efforts conducted by the National Democratic Assembly in Israel, and its leaders Dr. Azmi Bishara and Jamal Zahalaka.

He added that this planned ship, which will carry food and medical supplies, is a positive step against the unjust Israeli siege.

In an interview with the Arabs48 news website, El Khodary said that “sending the ship from the Jaffa port carries more than one message; the first message states that we should not forget our people, and the second is a call to the Arab nations to move and act against the siege which is devastating the lives of more than 1.5 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

“We welcome this idea, we appreciate what our brothers behind the Green Line are doing”, El Khodary said, “This ship is an initiative by the leaders of the Arab community”.

He added that all ships that sail to Gaza carry one goal; to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and to keep the issue of the unjust Israeli siege on Gaza in the spotlight.

El Khodary further stated that the Gaza Strip needs 600 trucks carrying foods and goods on daily basis. “But Israel continues to seal the crossings under vague claims, Israel is opening the crossing once a month to allow the entry of 40 trucks, this is way below the daily needs”.

He also said that all ships sailing to Gaza, either Arab or international, are positive measures in a positive direction, but added that everybody must act to fully end the siege.

“The world must understand that there is a clear Israel decision to keep Gaza under siege, they used and will use vague claims to keep the crossing sealed”, El Khodary stated.