An Egyptian official said the Moldovan-flagged Amalthea arrived in El Arish, on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast about 45 km south of the border with Gaza, in mid-evening and would begin unloading cargo.
“Medical supplies and passengers will enter Gaza through the Rafah border (crossing), while food will enter through the Awja border,” said Capt. Gamal Abdel Maqsoud, who is in charge of the port.
He said Egypt’s Red Crescent would be responsible for taking the goods over both borders and had trucks waiting in El Arish.
Israel had vowed to turn away or seize the Amalthea — renamed “Hope” by activists — rather than let it access Gaza. Youssef Sawani, director of a charity chaired by the son of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, which chartered the Amalthea, confirmed earlier that it had decided to divert the ship away from Gaza for safety reasons.
“It was unacceptable for us to enter into a confrontation and risk bloodshed” and that the boat would head to El Arish harbor, from which Egypt would allow its cargo to reach Gaza. “The aims of Amalthea have been achieved without bloodshed and the result is gains for the Palestinians,” Sawani added.
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh urged the activists not to let their ship be diverted from the territory’s shore and called in a speech for more pro-Palestinian “freedom flotillas.” “The sea and land convoys must continue,” he said. “We hope we can depend on Islamic nations to help us lift the blockade.”
