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Sunday, March 01, 2015

After Egyptian refusals, French aid convoy to Gaza goes through Israel

After waiting for months to enter Gaza with a convoy of humanitarian items through Egypt, a French charity ended up going through - Israel.

The coordinator of the Baraka Foundation, Rami Abu Sultan, told a news conference Sunday morning: "The convoy arrived several months ago in Egypt to enter the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing, and remained in Port Said for several months without being allowed to access to the Gaza Strip because of the continued closure of the crossing...The convoy stayed in Egypt for more than three months when it decide to change the convoy path where it was transferred to Jordan, and replaced all the medicines and food that had expired. We then entered into the West Bank, in preparation for entry into the Gaza Strip."

The aid is said to be worth €300,000.

The news article said that the goods went through the Erez crossing, but I have never heard of goods going through Erez, only people. Probably the goods went through Beit Hanoun and then the Baraka people went through Erez to meet up with their donations again.

The convoy contains medical equipment, medicines, food parcels, heaters, solar chargers and clothing, according to the foundation.

The items will be delivered to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, which is known to take donated aid and then sell them to gain more cash for Hamas.