The Egyptian government had climbed down over its previous refusal to allow the Viva Palestina convoy into the country on its way with medical aid for the people of Gaza.
The Egyptian terms for allowing the convoy access to Gaza via the Rafah crossing have been announced as:
1) The convoy must cross into Egypt from Syria;
2) It must get permission from Israel to enter Gaza; and
3) It must hand over all aid/vehicles to UNWRA.
Travellers sent messages saying that they only agreed to the first condition, and that it was by no means certain even so that they would be allowed into Gaza.
Team leader of the Bradford contingent on the convoy, Arshad Ali, confirmed the agreement in a text message on Monday evening: "Yes, it's true. We have to go back to Syria - another three days added to our journey. We will end our hunger strike tonight. Thanks to everyone for your solidarity. It meant a lot to us all. We will be leaving Aqaba at 5 in the morning (7am UK time)."
A message from another traveller on the Twitter social networking site read: "Back to Syria means 700Km back northwards by road, means a long, hard drive and means additional fuel costs. Plus 5 days wasted in Aqaba!"
The agreement came after a Turkish mediator reached a deal with the Egyptian consul in Jordan's Red Sea port of Aqaba. At first, the Turkish official requested that the convoy be allowed to enter Egypt through the Red Sea port of Nuweiba, the most direct way to Gaza, but this was refused.
The convoy is now heading to the Syrian port of Latakia to sail from there in a Turkish-funded charter vessel for a 19-hour trip to the Egyptian Mediterranean port of El Arish, and then to Gaza.
When the Egyptians blocked access, the convoyers declared a hunger strike and supporters throughout the world joined in.
Meanwhile, at least 300 French participants of the Gaza Freedom March spent the night camped out in front of their embassy in Cairo, bringing a major road in the Egyptian capital to a halt as riot police wielding plexiglass shields surrounded them. On Sunday, police briefly detained 38 international participants in El-Arish, the port to which the convoy is now headed. Another group of eight people, including American, British, Spanish, Japanese and Greek citizens, were detained at the bus station of El-Arish in the afternoon of December 27.
Supporters are urged to write to the Egyptian embassy welcoming the country's climb down, but insisting the convoy be allowed into Gaza.
Egyptian Embassy in Dublin: +353-1-6606718 / +353-1-6606566 / consular@embegyptireland.ie
The contact details for the Egyptian Embassy in London: 0044-20-7499-3304 / eg.emb_london@mfa.gov.eg (Consulate: consulate.london@mfa.gov.eg )
Please forward and distribute widely.
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Go well.
Karl Dallas
Follow me on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/karldallas
Want to help the people of Palestine? Then follow http://www.twitter.com/bradfordvp and http://www.twitter.com/dpalestine
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