Gaza Stranded Pilgrims Stage Hunger Strike, Snowball Protest

Gaza Stranded Pilgrims Stage Hunger Strike, Snowball Protest

 
Gaza Strip pilgrims stranded at the Egyptian-Palestinian borders decided to stage a hunger strike inside their buses in the Egyptian city of Al-Arish , starting from Monday, Dec, 31, 2007. They stage the strike protesting at not addressing their demands if returning to Gaza Strip through Rafah Crossing from which they left they left Palestinian territories to perform pilgrimage.
 Dr. Khamis Al Nagar, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and one of the stranded pilgrims, said in a statement to the Palestinian media center that the pilgrims still refuse to get out of the buses insisting on staging a sit-in until their problem is solved.
 “The pilgrims decided to stage a hunger strike starting from Monday in case their fair demands of returning home through Rafah Crossing isn”t met”, he said dismissing any other solution.
  Al Nagar pointed out that the first group of pilgrims- 1200- arrived in Al-Arish after evening and they are now inside the buses, and they get out of them only to answer the call of nature or to perform the prayers.
 In a related context, Palestinian female pilgrim was gunned down and four others were injured by fires of the Israeli occupation forces while entering Gaza through Beit Hanoun crossing .