35 Palestinians wounded by Egyptian security forces near Salahuddin terminal

35 Palestinians wounded by Egyptian security forces near Salahuddin terminal

 

 GAZA: Palestinian medical sources have reported that 35 Palestinian citizens were wounded by Egyptian gunfire Wednesday January 6, evening when dozens rallied near Salah el-Deen terminal in the Rafah area in protest to the Egyptian authorities’ attack on Viva Palestina’s convoy activists.

Sources reported to the Palestinian information center (PIC) that five citizens, who were transferred to Abu Yousuf Al-Najar hospital, are in critical condition. Eyewitness alleged that the protesters responded to the source of fire by throwing stones at the Egyptian expanse while shouting hostile slogans against Egypt before Gazan policemen showed up and dispersed the crowds.

Roughly 55 multinational activists, participating in the third Lifeline convoy organized by Britain-based the Viva Palestina organization, sustained different injuries during clashes with Egyptian security forces in Al-Arish area.

In the same context, the Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza organized on Wednesday afternoon a massive sit-in near Salah el-Deen terminal in Rafah denouncing Egypt for preventing international activists and aid convoys from entering Gaza.

All factions strongly condemned the brutal attacks carried out by the Egyptian security forces against Viva Palestina activists who brought with them humanitarian aid to the besieged Gazan people.

Hamas lawmaker Mushir Al-Masri stressed during the sit-in that the Gazan people would not be preoccupied with minor issues and divert their attention from the real threat to the Arab national security. He also urged the Egyptian people to rise and compel their government to stop the building of the iron wall and permanently open the Rafah border crossing.

For its part, the government committee "break the siege" strongly denounced the Egyptian authorities for using excessive force against Viva Palestina activists. In a statement, the committee asserted that the Egyptian security forces lacked perception in dealing with the aid convoys sent to Gaza. It added that dealing with the activists, who traveled thousands of miles and through many welcoming countries, in such a savage way undermined Egypt’s stature in the Arab and Muslim worlds.

In a press release, Hamas lawmaker Yahya Al-Abadsa also slammed the attack on the activists describing it as a shameful act and a crime in every sense of the word against Palestine.

Abadsa underlined that such behavior made the Egyptian regime a servant of the American policy and a pawn used for repression.

The Islamic Jihad Movement released a statement expressing its dismay and shock at the Egyptian authorities’ attitude towards the Viva Palestina aid convoy and its insistence on placing obstacles in its way to prevent it from helping the besieged Palestinian people in Gaza.

In a related development, deputy head of the international committee to end the siege Mohamed Sawalha announced on Wednesday on Al-Quds satellite channel, that a number of Turkish lawmakers are mediating between the organizers of Viva Palestina convoy and Egyptian officials.

He  added that they acted as go-between  to overcome the problems raised by Egypt’s breach of an agreement it had reached previously with Viva Palestina at the port of Aqaba in which it pledged to facilitate the entry of the convoy into Gaza through Al-Arish port.