- Palestine
- October 11, 2010
- 2 minutes read
Members of lifeline convoy head to Latakia port to pressure Egyptians
A part of the lifeline aid convoy to Gaza would move toward the Syrian port of Latakia on Monday to pressure the Egyptians into expediting issuing a permit to allow them to deliver the consignment to Gaza via Egyptian port of Al-Arish, Zaher Al-Beirawi, the spokesman for the convoy said.
He told the PIC that the move would also lift the morale of the participants who were annoyed at the delay in the Egyptian response.
Beirawi revealed that he contacted the Egyptian consular in Latakia Mohammed Al-Fayumi twice only to receive the same answer that he had no instructions yet about the convoy but hoping that it would be allowed entry soon.
The spokesman told a press conference on Sunday night that the delay in the Egyptian response was spreading frustration among the participants, expressing concern over such delay.
He affirmed that the convoy was ready for sailing after preparing the final batch of medical and humanitarian aid that joined the convoy in Syria.
For his part, executive director of the convoy Kevin Ovenden told the same conference that 40 Algerian vehicles for the convoy would head to the Syrian port by Monday night.
He appealed to the Egyptian authorities to allow them to enter Gaza and not to prolong their stay in Latakia.
The convoy includes 140 vehicles loaded with medical and educational materials to the tune of five million pounds sterling with 385 participants accompanying the aid shipment from 30 countries.