5 days ago Libya sent a ship to Gaza, in the first attempt by any state to break the first internationally sanctioned siege by an occupier on the people it occupies. The UN has warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is worse than ever.
No food or wheat has been allowed in for almost a month, and everyone, including hospitals, is susceptible to power cuts that can last up to 14 hours a day. Without electricity, chlorine cannot be pumped into the already dirty drinking water, and sewage is either dumped straight into the sea or overflows and floods entire neighborhoods.
There are over 130 different types of medicines missing in Gaza. People are using firewood or kerosene lamps to cook inside their own homes. Nobody is allowed in or out. Not students, not the sick, not the dying-and for the past 3 weeks, even foreign journalists have been banned from entering and documenting the horror.
While several small boats carrying foreign and Palestinian activists have managed to breach the siege and reach Gaza from Cyprus, they did not have the capacity to bring with them much more than token aid supplies and moral support. The al-Marwa, on the other hand, was supposed to bring with it 3,000 tons of aid, consisting mostly of medicines, food and baby milk. Instead, it was intercepted off Gaza’s shore by the Israeli navy early this morning, who forced it to turn back. At a time when 80% of Gaza’s children are suffering from malnutrition, Israel deems baby milk as a legitimate security threat.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Yigal Palmor, perfectly captured Israel’s arrogant tone regarding the humanitarian disaster it has masterminded.
“Anyone wishing to transfer humanitarian aid into Gaza is welcome to do it in co-ordination with Israel and through the regular crossings. They can also contact Egypt.”
But I thought Israel doesn’t control Gaza anymore? And I thought nobody on earth had the right to decide whether or not 1.5 million human beings should be allowed baby milk, clean water and medicine?
Related posts:
- Gaza Blackout – Day 3
- No power, no fuel, no food, no justice
- Accept the ceasefire
- Gaza Blackout – Day 2
- Reduced to fighting for survival
…So, why aren’t they shipping this all through Egypt?
Posted by Joe | December 1, 2008, 10:11 pmWell Joe, because its a ship, and ships sail on water see, not on land.
That would be why the ship was trying to enter Gaza’s waters, which are being blockaded by a foreign state called Israel.
Got it?
Posted by Mohammad | December 2, 2008, 11:41 amSo…
Egypt doesn’t have ports?
They can’t be shipped across Egypt’s land border with Gaza?
Remind me again why that is?
Posted by Joe | December 2, 2008, 4:47 pmBecause Egypt is a stooge of USrael, Joe! Billions in aid for oppressing a population will do that for a government.
Posted by Rocker | December 3, 2008, 9:16 amTrue Rocker, but thats not my point.
I’m not excusing Egypt Joe (we’ve been over this many times before-it is just as guilty). But the ship did not attempt to infringe on any state’s sovereignty; it was forced back in international waters by Israel.
Got it?
Posted by Mohammad | December 3, 2008, 12:25 pmshukran ya mohammad – we are getting so little news in the US press of these goings-on in Gaza.
allah ma’akum
Posted by alfannaan | December 5, 2008, 11:42 pm