Israeli warships following Asian aid ship to Gaza

By TCN Staff Reporter

New Delhi: In a disturbing news coming from Middle East, two Israeli warships are following the Asian aid ship to Gaza. Talking to TwoCircles.net from Syria, Gauhar Iqbal, one of the members of the aid convoy, said, “one Israeli warship and one Israeli helicopter are following and keeping a close vigil over the movements of the Asian aid ship which is on its way to Gaza.” Further information is awaited regarding the action and response of Israel to the aid ship.

Asia’s first humanitarian aid convoy is on its way to Palestine with medical and other aids seeking to break the siege on Gaza. The Asian convoy left New Delhi on December 2, 2010 and passed through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Syria. The 130-member convoy includes people of all faiths and religions, men and women, from India, Pakistan, Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Bahrain and Azerbaijan.

The Indian Lifeline to Gaza, as the Indian team is called, consists of 50 people from different states, representing various student organizations, civil society groups and trade unions etc like the Awami Bharat (Feroze Mithiborwala), Solidarity Youth Movement, Student Islamic Organisation (Shaheen K Moidunni) and the New Trade Union Initiative (Ashim Roy).

The Gaza Freedom Flotilla carrying aids to besieged Gaza strip was raided by Israeli soldiers killing around 20 onboard in May last year. And formerly, an attempt of renowned human rights and civil activists like Yvonne Ridley to enter Gaza and demand an end to the siege was dealt with strictly by the Egyptian government at the Rafah Border.