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Sat, Oct 16, 2010 | CNN | By Guy Azriel

Viva Palestina Aid Convoy Departing Sunday for Gaza

The Viva Palestina Gaza humanitarian convoy that includes passengers who were aboard the previous Mavi Marmara Flotilla (may 31) will set sail Sunday in an attempt to deliver aid for Palestinians, the organizers said.

From the Viva Palestina website:

After a tense ten day stand off in Syria, the Viva Palestina aid convoy to Gaza has now been cleared to sail. The convoy started out from London on Saturday 18th September and drove down through France, Italy, Greece and Turkey before arriving in the port of Latakia, Syria, on Saturday 2nd October. In Latakia, the convoy has been joined by two other convoys. One came from Morocco and Algeria, the other originated in Doha and came through the Gulf states and Jordan.

There are now 147 vehicles about to board two ships together with 380 people from some 30 countries stretching from New Zealand and Australia to Canada and the United States carrying aid worth some 5 million dollars. [Viva Palestina; Thu, Oct 14, 2010]

CNN reports that two of the ships are slated to pass through the point at which Israeli troops boarded the Mavi Marmara in May this year.

Among those on board the Viva Palestina convoy are 40 of the passengers on the Mavi Marmara. Viva Palestina organizers have planned a commemoration service at that location and will lay flowers on the water.

The main ship in the Viva Palestina convoy … has been docked at the Syrian port for the last 12 days. It was given the green light to sail to Egypt after lengthy mediation with Egyptian and Syrian authorities.

The aid will not go to Gaza by sea. It is due to arrive Monday at the Egyptian port, from where it will be transferred into the Palestinian territory by land through the Rafah crossing.

Read more here; CNN — Sat, Oct 16, 2010.