Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, official spokesperson of the Hamas movement in Gaza, reported Wednesday that the movement is not seeking any escalation with the Egyptian government, and added that Hamas is seeking a peaceful solution to the Iron Wall issue, and several important matters.Dr. Abu Zuhri added that the situation on the border with Egypt and the incident of fire exchange between some fighters and the Egyptian border police were a spontaneous outcome of the anger felt by the Palestinians as Egypt is building the Wall.
He added that the incident which involved opening fire at an Egyptian border guard took place during a protest on the border with Egypt due to the Egyptian rejection to allow the international peace activists into Gaza.
Egypt said that a border guard was killed by Palestinian fire, and eleven Palestinians were wounded during a scuffle with Egyptian border policemen.
Dr. Abu Zuhri further stated that the Palestinian police and security forces tried to push the Palestinians away from the border in order to avoid confrontations with the Egyptian border police.
Hamas leader, Salah Bardaweel, called on the Egyptian leadership to reconsider its position regarding the Iron Wall, as this wall causes real humanitarian crisis in Gaza and its residents, especially since the coastal region is already impoverished by the Israeli siege.
He also called on the Egyptian leaders to facilitate the entry of “The Artery Of Life 3” humanitarian convoy into Gaza.
Bardaweel added that he is sorry that the nonviolent protest on the Egyptian border witnessed some violent actions and demanded all parties to stop all media campaigns that could lead to further escalation.
Viva Palestina reported on its website that more than 10 of its members were injured, four of them seriously, and seven members arrested by Egyptian police during a protest here Tuesday at 11.40pm local time.
Among those arrested was a Malaysian, Ibrahim Mohd Azmi, a University of Bristol medical student who was a convoy volunteer.
The protest was staged by Viva Palestina convoy members to protest against the decision by the Egyptian government to bar 59 convoy vehicles from leaving here for Gaza.
