Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire recently embarked on a four-day visit to Gaza with the Free Gaza Movement. The group arrived on a ship with medicine, eager to restore hope to the Gazans and inspire response from the international community to their plight.

Maguire was in Gaza to witness the humanitarian crisis. While there, she cataloged the lack of basic necessities, Israel’s blockades on such needed imports, the destruction from Israel’s attacks two years ago, and the effects on the Palestinian people.

Despite the dismal picture she paints, Maguire also notes the recent political progress there and returns with a message of hope. As one Palestinian man expressed, “We love our Israeli brothers; we have lived with them – we want to.” And Maguire herself reflects, “We as the human family must all learn to deal with our fears non-violently, and realize our best hope for human security is not in occupation and siege, but in reaching out to make justice and our enemy our friend.”

To download Mairead Corrigan Maguire’s full report, click here.

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Activists in Gaza Boat Mission, Reuters, 29 October 2008.

Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate Calls Upon Irish Government to Sail Vessel with Medicines and Aid Immediately to Gaza and Break the Israeli Blockade, Peace People, 27 October 2008.

Peace Prize Winner on Voyage for Justice, Bangkok Post, 26 October 2008.

Learn more about the Israel v Hamas conflict.

Learn more about the Free Gaza Movement.

Learn more about the Peace People.