Standoff between Gaza group and Egyptian cops

Jonathan Crockett, Danny Doyle, Eddie McBride, Derek McChrystal and Eanna O'Donaghaile - travelling with the Viva Palestina humanitarian convoy - were forced to jump through hoops on the road to Palestine and have been away from home for over a month now.

Early on Tuesday the Sentinel reported that the men were making their way from Al-Arish slowly towards Rafah and the Gaza border but the paper has learned that their progress has once again been blocked by the Egyptian authorities.

Negotiations are currently ongoing and the group hopes to arrive in Gaza tomorrow (Wednesday, January 6).

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 are now on the last leg of their journey.

The men - who have driven across Europe to get to Gaza - stress that the next 24 hours will be critical to their success.

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

But now things are looking brighter for the campaigners. Following the successful arrival of the cargo ship carrying ambulances and medical supplies the remaining 450 people accompanying the goods have arrived on chartered airplanes at Al-Arish.

Mr Crockett informed the Sentinel this afternoon (Tuesday, January 5) that the men have left Al-Arish and hope to arrive at Rafah and the Gaza border later today or tomorrow.

The latter now looks likely as the Egyptian authorities have blocked the convoy's progress with an oil tanker and a phalanx of riot police.

Mr Crockett said there is a very heavy security presence on the road and with armed police every 100 yards or so.

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.

Mr Crockett said the local contingnet had believed they would arrive in Gaza today and that Danny Doyle and Derek McCrystal - family men - would have been able to fly home tomorrow. This now seems unlikely.

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.