Over 1,000 try to enter Gaza for peace. Stopped by Egypt. US news blackout.
Kathy Kelly, Co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, reports in the Huffington Post on the attempt by over 1,300 peace activists to enter Gaza from Egypt.
Gaza Freedom March participants, numbering 1,360 people from 42 countries, have assembled in Cairo, Egypt, where they plan to break the Israeli imposed siege on Gaza by delivering humanitarian relief supplies, on December 31st. After passing through the Rafah border crossing which divides Egypt and Gaza, they aim to join 50,000 Palestinians in a march across the Gaza Strip, ending at the Erez border crossing which leads into Israel.
But, the Egyptian government has dispersed peaceable assemblies that the marchers organized, in Cairo, and detained activists in multiple locations. Egyptian authorities previously issued permits for public actions, but have now revoked all permits and refused permission for any members of the Gaza Freedom March to even approach the border between Egypt and Gaza. Yesterday, they broke up a gathering of people who were commemorating the 1,409 Palestinians who were killed by the Israeli military’s “Operation Cast Lead” assault that began last year, December 27th, and continued for 22 days.
The US press and its largest newspapers have refused to cover the events in Egypt. The NY Times and the Washington post have both blacked out any news coverage.
You can follow events here.
