Britons On Hunger Strike As Egypt Holds Convoy In Aqaba, Jordan

Dec. 27, 2009 - PRLog -- Since 11pm GMT on Christmas Eve, the convoy has been stuck in the Jordanian port of Aqaba, waiting to cross the Red Sea and enter Egypt before continuing on to Gaza.

After observing the Shia festival of Ashura the members of the convoy are continuing the fast as a hunger strike.

Alexandra Lort-Phillips, leader of a group of vehicles, said:

" The aid in these vehicles could save lives and make a huge difference to Gaza - the longer we wait here the more likely it is that people will die needlessly, purely as a result of bureaucratic nonsense. We will wait here as long as it takes."

The convoy is carrying high quality aid including specialist stethoscopy equipment worth $250,000 for a hospital in one vehicle, and blind school equipment worth £20,000 in another as well as quantities of hardware, tubing, bandages, chairs, walkers, everyday medicines such as antibiotics. They also have baby milk, and childrens play/educational material for a Gaza orphanage.

Egypt has refused entry via the port of Nuweiba, instead insisting the convoy enters via Al Arish which would either require the convoy to abandon it's vehicles on a cargo transport via the Suez Canal, or return and hire multiple boats to bring them in from Lebanon, which is prohibitively expensive.

The convoy is calling on the Egyptian government to allow access to the convoy to ensure that the aid reaches Gaza in time for the New Year, and is calling on the British Government to bring pressure on it's contacts to ensure a smooth passage.