TWO IRISH peace campaigners have gone on hunger strike to protest against Egypt’s refusal to allow a convoy of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, which remains under a strict Israeli blockade.
Caoimhe Butterly and John Hurson are both members of the Viva Palestina Convoy, which was supposed to deliver the aid last Sunday to mark the anniversary of last year’s Israeli attack on Gaza.
Mr Hurson, who is from Tyrone, said he joined the hunger strike to draw attention to the fact that nothing had changed since the attack, which killed more than 1,400 people and injured 5,000.
“For Egypt to prevent this compassionate and charitable aid, donated by ordinary caring people from all over the world, unnecessarily adds to the hardships currently endured on a daily basis by the besieged and distressed people in Gaza,” said Mr Hurson.
There are 500 people from 20 countries on the convoy, which contains 250 vehicles loaded with food, medical supplies and educational equipment for the people living in Gaza.
The convoy, which is being led by British MP George Galloway, has been stranded for four days in the city of Aqaba, Jordan, having been refused permission to enter Egypt on its way to Gaza.
Mr Hurson and Ms Butterly went on hunger strike on Sunday along with 13 others taking part in the aid convoy. A further 50 people on the convoy joined the hunger strike yesterday.
“We will stay on this hunger strike until the Egyptian authorities agree to allow us to enter Gaza,” said Mr Hurson yesterday.
Kate O’Sullivan, a former student at UCC who is one of 12 Irish people on the aid convoy, said some medicine could be destroyed because of the severe heat unless it was delivered shortly. She appealed to Irish people to send e-mails and letters to the Egyptian embassy in Dublin urging them to allow the convoy to proceed.
“We need a huge show of support and protests to persuade the Egyptians to let the convoy continue,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign said yesterday that two members, Zoe Lawlor from Limerick and Hilary Minch from Dublin, were detained by the Egyptian authorities.