Spirit of Humanity ship sets sail for Gaza from Cyprus

The Free Gaza Movement ship “Spirit of Humanity”, with 29 activists from Greece, the UK, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain, Iraq and France on board, left Monday for Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid.
Members of the U.S.-based Free Gaza Movement said they would take doctors, aid workers and European parliamentarians to Gaza.
Coordinator of the mission and Free Gaza Movement representative Vangelis Pissias said that the effort to travel to the Gaza Strip comes after the attack against the movement’s vessel “Dignity” and after the destructive operation of the Israelis against the people of Gaza.
He said that “we cannot remain indifferent”, adding that their message is that human beings have to help other people when they suffer and they are in pain.
Pissias said that no offensive against this mission is justified and that if Israel wants to live peacefully in the Mediterranean, it will have to consider some rules, morals and values.
He also noted that there have been threats against the mission, adding that they have received a note which defines the area which Israel has declared as war zone, approximately 20 nautical miles south of Gaza.
Member of Greek opposition PASOK party (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) Sofia Sakorafa said that activists know about the diplomatic note which the Republic of Cyprus has received from Israel to prevent the sailing of the ship and added that the mission was informed by the Cyprus government about the issue.
He said that the Israelis had no right to put pressure on the Cyprus government regarding the sailing of the ship, adding that “we do not intend to cause any trouble, we are just transporting humanitarian aid, doctors and media, we are not terrorists.”
Israel launched its offensive with the declared aim of ending cross-border rocket attacks from the territory.
Medical officials said the Palestinian death had risen past 900 and included at least 380 civilians. Israel says 13 Israelis have died — three civilians hit by rockets and 10 soldiers.
The group of 34 have chartered a small Greek-flagged ferry, after another vessel was involved in a collision on Dec. 30 with an Israeli vessel when it was taking aid to Gaza from Cyprus.
Metal panelling was fitted to the body of the vessel before leaving. Some activists said it was for security reasons.
A representative of the activists said Israel, which tightened the naval blockade when it launched its offensive on Dec. 27, had been made aware of activists' intentions to enter the territory.
British doctor Sonia Robbins, who has worked at hospitals in Gaza, said the situation in the enclave was a humanitarian disaster.
"They have declared war on a virtually defenceless population," she said.
"The defence the Palestinians have are home-made fireworks … which can kill like any firework fired directly at you. They can only dent a wall and not demolish a 15 storey house and the family in it."
Free Gaza has sent regular shuttles of aid to Gaza from Cyprus since August.