Libya ship takes Gaza aid to Egypt after Israel warning
A Libyan ship, initially bent on breaking Israel’s Gaza blockade, docked in Egypt yesterday after agreeing to deliver its cargo of aid through Egyptian territory, an AFP correspondent reported. The news ended fears of a new confrontation between...
A Libyan ship, initially bent on breaking Israel’s Gaza blockade, docked in Egypt yesterday after agreeing to deliver its cargo of aid through Egyptian territory, an AFP correspondent reported.
The news ended fears of a new confrontation between activists and the Israeli navy, which had threatened to use force if the ship did not either turn back or head for Egypt.
The Libyan charity which chartered the vessel, the Kadhafi Foundation, said it had obtained guarantees from Cairo and from a “European mediator” that Israel would allow the ship’s cargo of 2,000 tonnes of food and medicine into Gaza.
Libya has also received the green light to “spend 50 million dollars towards housing construction in the Gaza Strip by winter,” the charity’s executive director, Yusef Sawan, said, adding that the foundation would also provide 500 prefabricated houses.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said Cairo had received a request for the Amalthea to get its cargo of aid to Gaza through Egyptian territory.
“As soon as the ship arrives in El-Arish, Egyptian authorities will unload its cargo and hand the aid to the Egyptian Red Crescent, which will deliver it to the Palestinian side,” he said. Port officials said they expected the Amalthea to be unloaded today.
Eight Israeli warships shadowed the freighter through the day, four on either side, to prevent it from heading to the Gaza coast, Mr Sawan told AFP.
“Out of concern for the security of everybody on board, the foundation decided to head for El-Arish,” he added.
On May 31, Israeli commandos stormed a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, killing nine Turkish activists and sparking an international outcry.