will be easier if I just have one entry from this point on and keep updating it with the latest news at the TOP of the post. Anyone who wants to catch up should read the posts below this one as they are in reverse order as they happened.
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5:15 UPDATE CONVOY AT GAZA CITY SQUARE NOW
Convoy finally just now arriving into the square in Gaza city. Galloway just had a small press conference thanking the people and volunteers for all their hard work..
Still more of the 300 long convoy trucks and members continuing to arrive at the square. Very emotional moment, with regular people taking to the streets to welcome the convoy. Shouting welcome to them and carrying and waving Palestinian flags.
Now some people are gathering in the square to meet the members of Viva Palestina convoy who have already arrived and are leaving their vehicles, amazing to see this, just regular Palestinian people coming out to greet the convoy members, some are coming up to the vans just to touch the faces of the convoy drivers, so emotional and heart warming. Still more convoy trucks continue to arrive, one after another, each one being greeted, this is wonderful to see. The streets are lined with people welcoming them, it’s now after 7PM in Gaza and beginning to grow dark somewhat, still trucks are arriving as I write this.
The members will rest tonight, and tomorrow they will have a tour and then begin to work in hospitals and other facilities.
Galloway said about the aid it has brought, again stressing that everything other than medical aid has been taken by the Egyptian government, supposedly to be brought into Gaza by the Red Crescent within the next several days. This includes clothing and toys for the poor little children who have suffered SO much! We will see if this happens, or will Israel confiscate it like it has done with much of the aid the world has sent to help Gaza. After all, it confiscated an entire huge shipment of pasta the other day, saying that pasta was not considered to be food. Typical Israelis, starve Palestinians as much as you can and keep stealing their land while you attempt to exterminate them all. Evil people, simply evil. Should there be any more news I will report it here as it happens
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5:00PM UPDATE
Gaza convoy has now left Rafah after the HUGE reception and speeches (see below), now on its way to Gaza City for the second welcome , which I expect to be quite fantastic as the people will be welcoming them and holding some fort of reception. At 5PM, still no word of convoy reaching Gaza City yet. As soon as it arrives and the second set of celebrations and reception begins, it will be blogged here
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2:55PM
Ridley talking about stories that happened along the way to Gaza. Says, in the poor areas of Algeria, poor people coming up to convoy handing them one or two dollars, all the money they owned, wanted the convoy to give it to people of Palestine, this happened all along the way, in every country and town they passed through. The support was amazing by regular people on the ground.
Palestinian centre of human rights in England, being interviewed now. Very proud of the convoy delegation coming across the world to help, People of Gaza have raised their heads high, shown the world what it means to be proud Palestinians. People taking photos now, still rejoicing and greeting, getting ready to leave for Gaza city now.
Convoy calling for Rafah border to remain open, also calling for Arab states to create convoys to Gaza. Calling the world to re-create convoys, people can make the border open.
Will continue blogging when convoy arrives in Gaza city for the next big reception
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2:42 convoy now to make its way to Gaza city, groups split up into those who are now going to work in humanitarian groups and others who just want to visit the people, or work in what groups they plan on joining up with. Upon arrival into Gaza city a HUGE reception will await them all. will blog on this when it happens
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2:40 they are holding Galloway's hands in the air, are holding hands with him, cheering, more cheering. Palestinian officials now mixing with convoy members, what a beautiful site to see. Palestinians are so grateful, they are mixing and greeting the members of the convoy, so emotional, so emotional. Hugging people, hand shaking, tears. The looks on the faces of the people say it all, no need for words, it is written on their faces. Just to know the world cares for them, so emotional.Personal note: I hope Israel is seeing this, wonder how it feels to be the most hated country in the world.
News is now breaking away, more as it happens
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2:33 GEORGE GALLOWAY speaking now
Thanking them from the bottom of their hearts for the reception they have received after their long journey
Entered holy land of Palestine, on the birthday of the prophet, peace be upon him
Travelled across 8 countries, 300 people, for 23 days to get here. Had three goals to achieve, call attention to those in world of the urgent need to break the siege of Gaza.
Second goal: hundreds of collections of by hundreds of communities across England so a Palestinian child may have clothes, medicine, wheelchairs and aid, where now they have none.
3rd objective to send message to Muslim world that we are your friends not enemy; Tony Blair does not speak for Britain, the people do, big cheers here!! Clapping, more cheers by crowd.
We travelled many miles to this land of heroes, being received by heroes. We watched agony, pain and tears under bombardment for 22 days. Demonstrated by thousands of cities. We clashed with police outside Israeli embassy in London, night after night, decided this was not enough, our hearts were broken for you. Decided that when our children asked us what did you do when this crime was committed. We could tell them we gave every breath we could to come to Palestine to help the people.
We have brought everything we would carry, we will hand it to Ismail Haniyeh the elected prime minister of Palestine, huge cheers for this!!! Massive cheers.
The US and Israel and Britain may not recognise him as the elected prime minister of Palestine but he is. Huge cheers again.
In our millions we are all Palestinian, repeats this three times, MASSIVE CHEERING BY ALL.
Thanks the crowd, massive cheers
chanting viva viva palestina over and over, massive celebrations and chanting for the convoy and Galloway
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2:30
huge welcome to Galloway from Hamas leaders and people. They are speaking in Arabic and then English to the crowd. Talking about free elections being held in Palestine, Hamas we elected then the unfair siege was visited onto Gaza by Israel. George is looking great next to them all.
people starved and under siege after democratically electing hamas,basicaly saying collective punishment to the people of Gaza for whom they voted for in democratic election, denied basic human rights by Israel, agricultural activities taken. Result of siege and attack, talking about war crimes by Israel.
Nothing stops the free people of the world, open borders to help Gaza. Convoy has broken the siege. International people can break the siege, calling on others to create another convoy to break the seiege again, help Gaza.
Welcoming everyone here, having suffered hardships on the way, thanking them, asking for borders to open and help to arrive. Thanking people for leaving their homes and coming to help the people of Gaza.
Message to brothers in UK and Libya we need to live in freedom
Galloway up next
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2;24
Live update
Hamas official speaking now, Galloway next to speak, they are stood together at the podium now.
2:20 PM
Television has cut away to other news while we wait for George to speak, knowing George it could take a wee while for him to prepare LOL:) gotta love George, he's brilliant:)
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2:00
Ok, will be easier if I just have one entry form this point on and keep updating it with the latest news at the top of the post. Anyone who wants to catch up should read the posts below this one.
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2:15PM getting ready for George Galloway to speak as he has now arrived into Gaza with tears in his eyes
Convoy truck are everywhere, crowds of people surrounding them, people on top of the trucks cheering and waving Palestinian flags. All waiting for Galloway to speak
4 years ago
