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.

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