The Free Gaza Movement today issued this open letter to all organizations delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Israel's closure of its land borders with Gaza, and Egypt's submission to Israeli pressure to close the Rafah border is a humanitarian disaster for 1.5 million Palestinians. The United Nations announced last Thursday that inside Gaza it had run out of the food essentials to supply 750,000 desperately needy citizens. "This has become a blockade against the United Nations itself," a spokesman said.
The Free Gaza Movement now has an inspection procedure in place in Cyprus to ensure the boat and contents comply with international regulations. In addition, we publish information about our passengers and cargo that ensures nothing and no one harmful is on board. Israel has shown itself willing to accept such assurances from us.
We are available to assist interested parties and to offer our services. Please contact one or more of the people listed on this release.
CONTACT:
Greta Berlin, France +33 49 34 24 309
Angela Godfrey-Goldstein, Jerusalem +972 547 366 393
Osama Qashoo, U.K. +44 78 33 38 16 60
Paul Larudee, U.S. +1 510 236 5338
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The Free Gaza Movement, a human rights group, sent two boats to Gaza in August 2008. These were the first international boats to land in the port in 41 years. Since August, two more voyages were successful, taking Parliamentarians, human rights workers, and other dignitaries to witness the effects of Israel's draconian policies are on the civilians of Gaza.