Foreign Delegation Enters Gaza With Medicine, Textbooks

French, Egyptian Activists Enter With Aid Through Rafah Crossing

A delegation of 85 foreign activists has entered the Gaza Strip today, bringing medical supplies including medication and surgical equipment. They also brought textbooks with them.

The delegates were mostly French members of the group EuroPalestine, and were accompanied by about 25 supporters from Egypt, through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt to Gaza.

EuroPalestine has regularly attempted to cross into Gaza in the past, but had failed because Israel would never allow them to enter the country. Since the regime change in Egypt, access to the strip through the Sinai Peninsula has become possible.

During the Mubarak era the Rafah crossing was mostly closed to humanitarian traffic at the behest of the Israeli government. Israel has been relaxing its own restrictions as well recently, making it even easier for the new Morsi government to allow aid groups into Gaza regularly.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.