IAF urges gov't to pressure Egypt to allow entry of Gaza-bound aid convoy

Jordan's Islamic Action Front (IAF) on Saturday urged the government to place pressure on Egypt to allow the entry of a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid convoy after it was stranded in the southern governorate of Aqaba.

On Thursday, Egypt refused to allow a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid convoy sent by Jordan's professional associations to enter its territories and the aid convoy escorted with over 150 activists were stranded in Aqaba.

"We call on the government to play a positive role and place pressure on the Egyptian authorities to allow the entry of the convoy that seeks to help reduce the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza," the IAF, which is the political arm of Muslim Brotherhood, said in a statement posted on its website.

Jordan's 14 professional associations sent the 25-truck convoy that is laden with humanitarian aid including medicine, basic food items and other commodities, to help the Palestinian in Gaza Strip, which has been under the Israeli siege since Hamas took control of the coastal enclave in 2007.

The convoy arrived in Aqaba on Tuesday and since then it has been trying to enter the Egyptian territories. It was originally scheduled to head from Aqaba to the Egyptian city of Nweibeh today. It will then travel by land to El-Arish to enter Gaza through the Rafah border crossing.

In its statement, the IAF condemned Egypt's position, saying it contradicts with its promises to open Rafah crossing border to reduce the suffering of the Palestinians in the coastal enclave.

Source: Xinhua