Source: Press Office - Minister's Cabinet
Published at: 20/09/2010
The Official Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Egyptian authorities closely follow up the reports about the aid convoy headed to Gaza Strip under the name of the Lifeline 5. In this regard, the Egyptian embassies informed the responsible authorities, in the countries where the convoy will pass by, that the Egyptian rules of aids entry require unloading the assistance at El Arish Port, while the Egyptian Red Crescent takes charge of entering aid into Gaza Strip. The spokesman added that the Egyptian mechanism does not allow the passage of land convoys, and sets one-hundred persons as a maximum of individuals accompanying the convoys, on condition that they abide by providing the Egyptian authorities with the complete data two weeks before setting out from the departure port.
The Spokesman added that all procedures governing the entry of aid to Gaza Strip aimed at facilitating the delivery of humanitarian supplies for the residents of the Strip, organizing the relevant procedural matters, in view of El Arish port potentialities and capacity, pointing out that Egypt certainly wants to pass this aid smoothly and without tensions or problems and that commitment to the mechanisms and rules ensures that.
The spokesman stressed that the British citizen George Galloway - Coordinator of the convoy - is enrolled in the list of persons banned from entering the country (personae non grata); thus, he will not be allowed, under any circumstances, to set foot on Egyptian soil.