Mairead Maguire Calls for Egypt to Open Border with Gaza

January 12, 2010

Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire is calling on the Mairead_in_Palestine_Apr_2009__4smallcrop Egyptian government to open its border with Gaza to allow people and aid to enter the territory freely. This following the assault on a humanitarian convoy last week. Read the statement.

Egyptian riot police and intelligence officers attacked members of a humanitarian convoy on their return from delivering much needed supplies to the people of Gaza. The group was part of an international delegation that gathered in Egypt at the end of December to mark the one year anniversary of the Israeli invasion of Gaza. The 22 day military offensive killed 1400 people and since that time the Israeli military cut off all access to Gaza.

The blockade has left 1.5 million people with inadequate access to food, water, health care, electricity, sanitation and educational facilities. The Egyptian government is supporting the siege by restricting the flow of goods and people across its shared border and intends to build an 18m wall deep into the ground to prevent the use of tunnels connecting to the occupied territory.

Maguire is appealing to the Egyptian authorities to open its border and is calling upon the international community to work towards bringing an end to the illegal and inhumane Israeli occupation.