Largest European delegation to visit Gaza on Tuesday

Date: 08 / 06 / 2009  Time:  09:55
Gaza – Ma’an –

The largest European delegation is scheduled to arrive in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday through the Egyptian border, said Hamdi Sha’ath, head of the official anti-siege committee in Gaza.

According to a statement released by the committee’s information office, “The delegation comprises 41 European parliamentarians and mayors of European cities, representing 15 countries. The delegation will be headed by Luisa Morgantini, vice-president of the European Parliament.

Sha’ath explained that the delegation would visit areas which Israeli forces destroyed during the last military offensive against the Gaza Strip.

Gov't against siege: Biggest ever EU parliamentary delegation to visit Gaza

[ 08/06/2009 - 10:00 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

The government committee to break the siege and to receive delegations declared that the biggest ever European parliamentary delegation is to visit the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing on Monday to inspect the areas devastated in the latest Israeli war on Gaza.

Hamdy Shaat, the head of the committee, said in a press release on Sunday that the delegation includes 41 European lawmakers from 15 European countries including parliament speakers.

He pointed out that Luis Morgantini, the deputy president of the European parliament, is heading the delegation.

The committee finalized all preparations to facilitate the delegations' mission, Shaat elaborated.

The committee head asked all delegations visiting Gaza to relay the whole truth to the outside world and to expose the ceaseless Zionist practices against the Gaza inhabitants in addition to exposing the harmful effects of the continued Israeli siege that has exceeded three years.

Awad calls for popular moves to break the Israeli siege on Gaza

[ 07/06/2009 - 11:24 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Dr. Mohammed Awad, the secretary of the Palestinian cabinet in Gaza, on Sunday called for Arab and Islamic popular moves to break the Israeli oppressive siege on Gaza and end the suffering of one and a half million Palestinians.

Awad told reporters that the increasing suffering of those people necessitated a responsible stand on the part of each and every Arab and Muslim.

The humanitarian and living conditions in the Strip were daily deteriorating, the official said, noting that the siege was causing the slow death of Gaza citizens.

He asked for the implementation of the Arab League resolution that stipulates lifting the siege on Gaza, adding that the Arab countries should not stand arms folded in light of the murder, starvation and displacement of the Strip's inhabitants.

The reconstruction of Gaza following the devastating Israeli war was a growing necessity due to the daily suffering of the displaced people, Awad said, noting that the relief convoys arriving in Gaza have the greatest positive impact on the citizens.

De facto government catalogues continued Gaza siege; demands action

Date: 06 / 06 / 2009  Time:  17:09
Gaza – Ma’an –

It is not enough to open Rafah “once in a while” and transfer “drips” of aid and commercial goods into Gaza, Spokesperson of the de facto administration of the crossings, Adel Zu’rub said on Saturday.

Rafah was last open for Gazans on 16-18 May, and only patients and aid workers have passed through the crossing since then. Israeli crossings have been likewise shut, with minimal amounts of aid getting into the Strip, and only a handful of patients, visitors and aid workers being allowed in and out of the area.

“The Egyptian side must to everything it can to ensure Rafah is open consistently,” Zu’rub said. Egypt has the power to alleviate the pressure of the siege on Gaza, he added.

Zu’rub innumerated the aid, commercial and human transfers in and out of the Strip over the past few days as follows:

Saturday: All crossings shut down

Friday: 51 truckloads of goods were transferred into Gaza, 26 for humanitarian aid agencies, 24 for the private sector and one for UNICEF.

Human traffic included:

14 exiting Gaza for medical treatment, 45 foreigners working in Gaza, 6 individuals with Israeli papers visiting friends and relatives in Gaza. Twenty-one exited the Strip the same day, 7 for treatment, 8 visitors, 2 travelling foreigners and 1 visitor from inside Israel.

Thursday:

102 truckloads of goods were allowed into the Strip; 79 for the private sector and 23 for the World Food Program affiliated with UNRWA.

Human traffic included: 102 exited the Strip of who 42 were patients, 1 visitor, 8 Gazans with work permits, 13 foreigners, and 13 visitors from inside Israel. Those entering the Strip were 65 returning from treatment at Israeli or West Bank hospitals, 17 from Israel, 2 visitors and one with a work permit for Gaza.