Update 3 FROM GAZA CITY!

Dear Friends,

WE MADE IT INTO THE GAZA STRIP LAST NIGHT (Wednesday, local time) -- AND THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT FROM THE LOBBY OF THE COMMODORE HOTEL(!) IN GAZA CITY!

As recently as 36 hours ago even a partial success for the US-GAZA Relief Convoy seemed very much in doubt. New obstacles continued to mount as old bureaucratic demands from the US and Egyptian authorities were laboriously met.  Time seemed to be running out, as many Convoy participants had to leave by this Friday or Saturday. 

Press TV, July 15 - www.presstv.ir

The Viva Palestina humanitarian convoy enters the Gaza Strip, breaking the deadly Israeli blockade imposed on 1.5 million Palestinians for a second time.

The American aid convoy carrying hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of supplies for the people of Gaza crossed the Rafah border on Wednesday upon receiving permission from Cairo after a 10-day delay.

The 200 activists are allowed to stay in the coastal territory only for 24 hours, a Press TV correspondent reported.

[Editor's Note:  Four buses carrying medical aid, US and international volunteers were stopped at the Suez Canal and prevented from crossing into the Sinai on their way to Gaza, evidently on Saturday. They were given conflicting reasons why they could not proceed to the Egypt-Gaza border checkpoint at Al Arish.  Dorchester People for Peace, Vets for Peace, and ISO, whose Boston members are part of the convoy, will hold a press conference Tuesday, 7/14, 4:30 p.m. at Park Street Station to demand the convoy be allowed to enter Gaza.]

Update No.2 - US-GAZA Convoy

Dear Friends,

There have been many developments in the last 24 hours, which some of you may have already followed.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND ACTIVISM ON BEHALF OF THE CONVOY EFFORT -- AND KEEP THE PRESSURE ON!

You can find the latest news about the Convoy (or make a contribution!) at http://www.vivapalestina-us.org/topics/updates-of-convoy/ so I won't repeat the details here, except to summarize:

Some of us (including me) are still in Alexandria, hoping to obtain the Convoy vehicles today (Monday, local time).  The rest have reunited in CAIRO, where the medical supplies have been staged. If all goes well we will join up today or tomorrow and proceed directly to GAZA.  The CAIRO group has been joined by NY City Councilor Charles Barron, MP George Galloway, former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (and Green Party presidential candidate), who was just released from a week in Israeli jail after the Freegaza boat she was on from Cyprus to Gaza was intercepted and seized by the Israeli navy in an act of piracy-- and now the Hip-hop Dead Prez.  They are all busy giving interviews and putting pressure on the Egyptian government to let the Convoy through.