Jubilant Londonderry men in Gaza at last

Jonathan Crockett, Danny Doyle, Eddie McBride, Derek McChrystal and Eanna O'Donaghaile - travelling with the Viva Palestina humanitarian convoy - crossed into the Gaza strip at Rafah at approximately 6.30pm.

Speaking upon their arrival Mr Crockett said: "We've travelled 5,000 miles from Derry in Ireland and it's great to finally be here to meet the people and we've come this far for a reason because they deserve it and more people should do this because we have to break the siege and I'd like to thank the people of Derry."

The completion of their epic journey will come as a great relief to supporters following the chaos that ensued on Tuesday at Al-Arish port in Egypt.

Reports suggested outsiders arrived armed with sticks and stones and entered the Viva Palestina compound attacking campaigners.

It was also suggested that Egyptian police - responsible for halting the men's journey to Gaza - joined the attackers.

Several members sustained injuries to their heads and arms, reports from Al-Arish suggested.

Mr Crockett gave the Sentinel his account of what happened suggesting things got out of control in the febrile atmosphere in the compund.

"At the beginning, it was a peaceful protest, singing and making noise," he explained.

"The Egyptians were there to be provoked, no doubt, but they needed a reason.

"This went on for about 1 hour 30 mins, and then all hell broke loose. I dont know who threw the first stone but the Egyptians seemed to have prepared stones to be thrown," he stated.

"A running battle went on for about 30 minutes, mainly the Egyptians hurtling stones at us, though not entering the gates. Some people fought back with stones and sticks."

He continued: "The end result was up to 20 people injured, head injuries and even worse it appears.

"There was news that the Turks had captured three Egyptians as hostages but they were later released.

"There was a deadly atmosphere amongst the compound. This wasn't the way it was suppose to work out, we should of been heading for Gaza.

"At this point, it's too early to see where the blame lies."

Mr Crockett - who spent a month in Hebron and Jerusalem teaching during the summer - said the Londonderry men feel the key objectives they set out to achieve in December were in danger of being obscured by the conflict.

"The five of us are going to have a team meeting shortly and discuss flights.

"We are due to fly out today but wont make it at this point. It could be that some of us will go home.

"Things have gone by in impasse for too long, its become a game of political football, with the idea to expose the Egyptians as a police state in a bigger picture.

"We just came for the people of Gaza and we are still not there after more than four weeks.

"Still no matter who goes home, we will show patience and wait at least until Sunday to see what transpires."

Of last night's rioting Kevin Ovenden, the convoy leader, said: "We are now calling upon all friends of Palestine to mount protests in person where possible, but by any means available to Egyptian representatives, consulates and Embassy's and demand that the convoy are allowed a safe passage into Gaza tomorrow! (Wednesday, January 6)."

The Londonderry men had previously been forced to jump through hoops on the road to Palestine and have now been away from home for over a month

Early on Tuesday the Sentinel reported that the men were making their way from Al-Arish slowly towards Rafah and the Gaza border.

The local men overcame considerable difficulties to get this far. After making a circuitous trip back through Damascus to the Syrian port of Latakia after being barred entry by Hosni Mubarak's Egyptian Government via the Jordanian port of Aqaba they have finally reached their destination.

Kevin Ovenden, leader of Viva Palestina and associate of Respect MP and one time Celebrity Big Brother contestant George Galloway, had their passports taken by the Egyptain authorities when they arrived at Al-Arish. Egypt.

Viva Palestina had expressed misgivings over the potentially hostile reception they might receive upon arrival in Egypt and Mr Crockett said the local men were prepared for anything.

When the last Viva Palestina convoy arrived in Egypt there were violent clashes between activists and the Egyptian police wielding sticks as the convoy was stopped at Rafah.

This appears to have been replicated.

But the men remain defiant stating: "We will continue, and hopefully within the next 48 hours, enter Gaza and leave the ambulance and supplies there.

"I know we have been saying this for a long time, but every time we knock on the door and seem to be let in, they close it shut right in front of us.

"We keep knocking and we will get in, because it's not up to the Egyptians or the Israelis to allow or disallow people into the house of the Palestinian."

The arrival of the aid convoy had been due to coincide with the Gaza Freedom March participants in which were to include Pullitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker and leading US legal advocate Michael Ratner.

High profile critics of Israel's actions in Gaza - Gore Vidal, Noam Chomsky, John Pilger and Naomi Klein - all backed the event.

But although hundreds gathered on both sides of the Israeli-Gazan border on New Year's Eve, as planned, to mark a year since Israel's three-week bombardment of Gaza, and to call for an end to the blockade of the area imposed by Israel and Egypt, hundreds more were confined to making protests in Cairo, Egypt having banned entry to Gaza.

The Egyptian foreign ministry said the march could not be allowed because of the "sensitive situation" in Gaza.