The Viva Palestina 5 solidarity flotilla heading to the Gaza Strip arrived on Tuesday in Istanbul and its activists held a press conference at a cultural center.Head of the Turkish humanitarian relief foundation IHH, Bulent Yildirim, said that Egypt will likely allow the flotilla into the Gaza Strip in order to deliver the supplies, and called on the Egyptian Authorities not to align with Israel.
Egypt previously stated that it will not allow British Parliamentarian, George Galloway, head of the flotilla, to enter Egypt as he was expelled out of the country when Egypt refused to allow a previous solidarity convoy to enter the Gaza Strip.
Activists onboard the flotilla insist to be allowed into Gaza along with Galloway in order to deliver the supplies.
Yildrim said that the solidarity activists do not look at Gaza as the whole of Palestine as it is part of the West Bank and part of Palestine, and added that aid supplies will also be sent through Jordan.
During a press conference in Istanbul Tuesday, Galloway demanded Egypt to allow him through, and voiced an appeal to Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, to facilitate the entry of the sodality convoy.
“We did everything Egypt asked us to do, this is a humanitarian flotilla and we have no problem with Egypt”, Galloway stated. “I hope you will not prevent us from entering Gaza”.
The flotilla will be heading to Syria and is expected to arrive there by October 1st. Arab and African activists will board the ships that would load more than 400 activists and 200 vehicles before heading to al-Arish Port in Egypt.
If the Egyptian Authorities allow the flotilla into its territories, all supplies will be transported by land from al-Arish to the Rafah Border Terminal between Egypt and Gaza.
