Palestinians gather at the Unknown Soldier’s Square to protest the visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Gaza Strip [Ali Jadallah – Anadolu Agency]
The Palestinian Non-Government Organisations Network (PNGO) statement, 2 February 2023.
The Palestinian Non-Government Organisations Network (PNGO) warns of the serious repercussions of the continued deterioration of the economic, social, and humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip as a result of the continued Israeli blockade for the sixteenth year in a row. The Humanitarian Response Plan for 2023 launched by the United Nations and its local and international partners stressed the need for more than $500 million to cover the humanitarian needs in the occupied Palestinian territory and to allocate more than 70% of it to the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian medics in Gaza staged a protest of ambulances along the boundary fence with Israel recently. [Arab News video]
‘Slow death’: Gaza’s health workers protest Israeli blockade
The Palestinian health ministry says Israeli import restrictions on medical equipment are putting people’s lives at risk.
Amid increasing tensions in the occupied West Bank and Israel, health workers in Gaza have been fighting their own struggle to procure vital medical equipment for hospitals in the beleaguered coastal territory.
[Recently] a convoy of about 25 ambulances from Gaza drove along the Israeli border to protest import restrictions on medical equipment that the Palestinian health ministry says are crippling hospitals in Gaza.
Gaza Ministry of Health spokesman Asraf al-Qudra calls for ‘direct pressure on the Israeli occupation’ to end the restrictions on the import of medical supplies to besieged Gaza. [Middle East Eye video]
“Preventing the entry of medical devices means the slow death of Gaza patients,” read a banner on one of the ambulances in the convoy. “Medical equipment is crumbling,” another said.
European Union Representative in West Bank and Gaza Sven Kuehn von Burgsdorff receives information as he visits a school affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) at Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza City, Gaza on February 01, 2023. [Ashraf Amra – Anadolu Agency]
GAZA CITY, Palestine, Anadolu Agency, 2 February 2023
A European delegation arrived in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday to assess the humanitarian situation in the blockaded territory.
New report examines life in Gaza after 17 years of Israeli blockade
Euro-Med Monitor,Geneva, 28 January 2023
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains dire as the 17th year of the Israeli blockade draws to a close, said Euro-Med Monitor in a statement, urging all concerned parties to put pressure on Israel to end its illegal blockade of the Strip.
Entering its eighteenth year, the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip reflects an abject moral and humanitarian failure on the part of all United Nations and international entities
Victoria Ceretti, a researcher at Euro-Med Monitor
Over the last year, Israeli authorities granted about 17,000 workers from Gaza permits to work inside Israel after lengthy security and administrative procedures. This will not, however, alleviate the severity of the Strip’s economic crisis, as the consequences of Israel’s blockade have severely harmed all economic and humanitarian sectors, causing long-term damage that requires the lifting of all restrictions imposed on those sectors.
Mark Seddon is live with Diana Buttu and Omar Baddar for a Deep Dive illuminating the latest iteration of Israel’s evermore extreme right wing government.
We’ll be exploring the Netanyahu-led government’s rhetoric and actions which have already included explicit calls for more land grabs across the West Bank and the expulsion of more Palestinians from their homes.
We’ll also be questioning the nature of the ongoing protests in Tel Aviv and what they reveal about the wider concern among the Israeli public, or lack of it, for the millions of Palestinians enduring Israel’s ongoing occupation.
Diana Buttu is a lawyer & former adviser to the negotiating team of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Omar Baddar is a media producer & political analyst. Formerly with the Institute for Middle East Understanding, Al Jazeera Stream & the Arab American Institute.
Webinar hosted by the Palestine Chronicle and Deep Dive.
Taranaki’s Brother Peter Bray FSC, Vice-Chancellor of Bethlehem University, is making a speaking tour of Aotearoa-New Zealand’s Catholic dioceses talking about how Kiwis can help bring peace to the Holy Land.
Br Peter has been invited by the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference for a speaking tour of the six dioceses between 24 January and 9 February.
Br Peter moved from Wellington to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, in 2008 to take up the vice-chancellor role. His work as a teacher and education consultant has taken him around the world.
Bethlehem University was founded by Br Peter’s De la Salle Bothers in 1973. It was the first registered university established in the Occupied West Bank territory of Palestine and is the only Catholic university in the Holy Land. It currently has 3259 students (Muslim and Christian), 17,282 graduates and 214 faculty members. It celebrates its Golden Jubilee this year.
Diocese of Palmerston North • Tuesday 24 January, 7pm St Mary’s Church, Taradale, 58 Osier Road, Greenmeadows, Napier • Wednesday 25 January, 7pm Te Rau Aroha-The Diocesan Centre, Palmerston North, 33 Amesbury Street • Thursday 26 January, 7pm St Joseph’s Church, New Plymouth, 106 Powderham Street
Archdiocese of Wellington • Monday 30 January, 6.30pm St Thomas More Church & Hall, 30 Worcester Street, Wilton
Diocese of Dunedin • Tuesday 31 January, 7pm Holy Name Catholic Church, 420 Great King Street, Dunedin North
Diocese of Christchurch • Thursday 2 February, 7.30pm Villa Maria College, Te Manawa Atawhai Catherine McAuley Centre, 21 Peer Street, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch
Diocese of Hamilton • Tuesday, 7 February, 5pm Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 494 Grey St, Hamilton East
Diocese of Auckland • Wednesday, 8 February, 7pm Poynton Room, Pompallier Diocesan Centre, 30 New Street, Ponsonby, Auckland • Thursday 9 February, 7pm St Francis Xavier Catholic School staff room, Whangarei, 1 Percy Street, Kensington
In preparation for his speaking tour, Br Peter has made three videos based on his daily work with Palestinians and Palestinian students at Bethlehem University. The videos are online here.
Bukjeh translates to ‘a small pack of belongings carried by travelers’. We encourage our communities to share their art and stories, embracing the diverse range of storytelling forms-spoken word, music, songs, visual arts and language.
Bukjeh builds social cohesion, harmony and inclusion of those who have been displaced, creating a culturally safe space by embracing and respecting diversity of background, experience, ideas, thoughts and feelings. Bukjeh delivers a range of projects and activities to audiences all over Australia through virtual and in person programs and projects.
Palestinian cinema was among the first to emerge in the Middle East and North Africa along with Egyptian and Syrian cinemas. Egyptian cinema started production in 1923, followed by Syrian cinema in 1928 and Palestinian cinema in 1935. However, at the time, it was barely possible to separate Palestinian and Syrian national identities, which only emerged after the division of the region by imperial powers. Before then, Palestine was known as “Southern Syria” and was part of Greater Syria, which included today’s Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.
International week of action to free Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian prisoners from 14-24 January
Palestinian prisoner Ahmed Sa’adat. (Photo: Via Samidoun)
By Benay Blend, Palestine Chronicle, 11 January 2023
In August 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote a letter in response to a public statement of concern and caution by eight white religious leaders from the American South. January 16, 2023, marks the anniversary of his birthday, celebrated yearly as a Federal holiday in the States. In answer to the charge that problems in the South were caused by “outside agitation,” King replied with his well-known phrase: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” just as much in Birmingham as in Atlanta where he lived.
“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality,” King continued, “tied in a single garment of destiny…Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider.” In 2022, King’s axiom should be extended to include oppression anywhere in the world, in particular contemporary Palestine.
Last year Israeli Occupation Forces detained approximately 7,000 Palestinians, making it the deadliest 12 months since 2005 for those living under Occupation. In Palestine, detainment is meant to break the spirit of resistance.
Like most Western governments, and indeed most Western media, we have preferred to avoid the issue because it’s been made uncomfortable to talk about and seemingly difficult to deal with. However, we can no longer look the other way.
In this latest production by the Palestine Chronicle, local Gaza journalist Abdallah Aljamal follows the everyday struggle of Palestinian women to obtain drinking water.
Israel has been accused of waging a water war on Palestinians since its creation atop the ruins of Palestinian towns and villages in 1948.
In a recent editorial, Palestine Chronicle Editor Ramzy Baroud stated:
After two days of heavy rain, the Israeli authorities contributed to the flooding of Gaza on Monday, by opening the ducts in the dams located on the Israeli side of the border fence, the Palestine Chronicle correspondent in Gaza reported.
Palestine Chronicle correspondent said that Israel flooded dozens of homes and hundreds of dunums of agricultural lands after opening the ducts to release the collected rainwater east of the Khan Yunis area, in the southern Gaza Strip.
Two days ago, the occupation forces also opened the ducts east of Deir al-Balah, which led to the flooding of dozens of homes and agricultural lands, exacerbating the suffering of Gazans, especially in light of the heavy rain that fell on the Gaza Strip since Saturday.
Home to a population of over two million, the Gaza Strip has been reeling under a years-long Israeli blockade since 2007, badly affecting livelihood in the territory.
(All Photos: Mahmoud Ajjour, The Palestine Chronicle. Abridged)
The UN called 2022 the deadliest year for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in 16 years. Here are some of the year’s most important events.
Palestinians have continued to resist the Israeli occupation in the West Bank, but near-daily raids have led to the deadliest year for Palestinians in the territory since 2006 [File: Mussa Qawasma/Reuters]
Ramallah, Occupied West Bank and Gaza City – Conflict, raids, and the killing of one of Palestine’s most well-respected journalists – just some of the most important events to happen in Israel and Palestine in 2022.
The United Nations declared the year the deadliest for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since 2006, evidence of increased use of force by Israel, amid a further shift to the far right in the country.
Here are six major developments that shaped 2022 for Palestinians.
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has called on the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to condemn the killing of Ahmad Atef Mustafa Daraghma, a Palestinian soccer player, who was killed by Israeli forces in Nablus, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
Video: (Palestine Chronicle, 23 December 2022)
Shtayyeh strongly slammed the Israeli crime that resulted in the killing of Daraghma, a soccer player with the Thaqafi Soccer Team of Tulkarem.
Daraghma was hit by live rounds in the back and feet when a sizable Israeli army force swept into the eastern part of Nablus to provide protection for illegal Jewish settlers who stormed Joseph’s Tomb.
Shtayyeh called on international rights organizations to take responsibility to stop Israeli killings of Palestinians and hold the Israeli occupation accountable for its crimes.
The number of Palestinians who have been slain by Israeli army gunfire in the occupied territories since the start of 2022 reaches 224, including 53 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian activists organized a rally in solidarity with cancer-stricken Palestinian prisoner Nasser Abu Hamid. (Photo: Mahmoud Ajjour, The Palestine Chronicle)
A one-day general strike has been declared across the occupied West Bank cities, including Jerusalem, in mourning of the late Palestinian prisoner Nasser Abu Hamid, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
Abu Hamid died on Monday morning after battling cancer for several years.
The strike was called for by Palestinian political movement Fatah, which also called for a day of rage at contact points with the Israeli army.
Abu Hamid entered into a coma two days ago and was transferred on Monday from Ramle clinic prison, where he has been kept, to a hospital in Israel. He has died due to years of medical negligence.
Abu Hamid was born in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the Central Gaza Strip and later moved to Al-Amari refugee camp in Ramallah. He was serving multiple life terms for resisting the Israeli occupation.
Several attempts to get him released to get treatment outside the prison have failed.
Important webinar to be hosted by the Centre for Islam and Global Affairs, Turkey – viewing time is 5am on Tuesday 20 December in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Morocco’s victory over Spain in the round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup was seized by the team as an opportunity to send an unmistakeable message about the Palestinian cause.[Martin Meissner/AP]
By John Minto – a long-time social justice activist and the national chair of the Palestine Solidarity Movement Aotearoa. Stuff, 14 December 2022
OPINION: The power of sport to influence politics has always been a feature of international sporting events, as has the hypocrisy of governments, New Zealand included, when it comes to issues of human rights.
Despite neither Israel nor Palestine being at the Fifa World Cup, the issue of Palestine has been the most visible political issue on display.
Social media is awash with dozens of amusing video clips where Israeli journalists attempt to interview fans outside venues, only to be drowned out by passionate messages of support for Palestine as soon as they identify as Israeli.
“Palestine, Palestine – free Palestine” is the typical refrain – not just from Arab fans, but from soccer supporters from all corners of the globe.
Shortly after Israeli forces raided the city of Jenin on Sunday, a 15-year-old girl was found dead on her roof, riddled with bullet wounds
Mourners react as they attend the funeral of Palestinian Jana Zakarneh in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, 12 December 2022 (Reuters)
By Leila Warah in Jenin, occupied West Bank, Middle East Eye, 13 December 2022
Jana Majdi Zakarneh, a 15-year-old Palestinian, was on the roof in her pyjamas, playing with her cat on Sunday evening, when Israeli forces shot her multiple times, twice in the face.
The following day, the shock of Jana’s death can be felt in Jenin city, where she was killed. Mourners sat on plastic chairs outside her funeral service in grim silence.
The voice of her aunt, Hanan Said Zakarneh, rang out, “What did this child do to be shot this way?”
“What was her crime?” she asked, holding back tears.
56 years old Fadl Rabi speaks during an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency at his home in a small Palestinian village At-Tuwani, Hebron on October 21, 2021 [Mamoun Wazwaz – Anadolu Agency]
By Wafa Aludaini, Gaza, Middle East Monitor, 14 December 2022
The Israeli occupation state makes every effort to disrupt and break up the social fabric of Palestinian communities, leading to domestic disorder. Sundry procedures have been implemented curbing the ability of separated Palestinian families to reunite. Despite this, Israel fails to break the spirit of the steadfast Palestinians who are committed to defending their inalienable rights.
Kia Ora Gaza is an Aotearoa/New Zealand network dedicated to support international efforts to break the inhumane and illegal Israeli siege and naval blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian aid, fostering fraternal relations, enhancing understanding of Palestine and the Middle East, and cooperating with others who have similar aims.
Kia Ora Gaza promotes human rights, and solidarity for the people of Palestine and their struggle for justice, peace and freedom.
Our website and facebook pages underscore and promote these goals, however posts do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Kia Ora Gaza or our partners.
All forms of racism and discrimination are the antithesis of justice, peace and freedom. Kia Ora Gaza social media will not tolerate any act or discourse which adopts or promotes, among others: racism, anti-Arab racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, sexism, xenophobia, or homophobia.
Kia Ora Gaza is a member of the international Freedom Flotilla Coalition - website: freedomflotilla.org and part of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa. Website: www.PSNA.nz
Postal address: Kia Ora Gaza, PO Box 86022, Mangere East, Auckland, New Zealand 2158.
KIA ORA GAZA PROJECTS
Kia Ora Gaza was established from a series of public meetings to organise Kiwi participation in international efforts to end the siege of Gaza & promote practical solidarity for Palestine. This followed the Israeli commando raid on the Mavi Mamara-led peace flotilla in international waters in 2010 which resulted in the deaths of 10 civilian peace activists. Since then Kia Ora Gaza has organised or supported the following projects: 1. Sent a team of 6 Kiwis on the 140-vehicle Viva Palestina international land convoy in 2010, driving and donating 3 ambulances to Gaza – part of the $7million medical aid delivered.
2. Supported Kiwi participant Harmeet Sooden to join the Canadian boat, Tahrir on Freedom Flotilla 2 to Gaza in 2011. 3. Sent a team of 4 Kiwis on the “Miles of Smiles” land convoy to Gaza with 10 tonnes of medical aid, 20124. Sent a fact-finding mission for www.kiaoragaza.net to Gaza Nov, 2012 5. Sent donations for food relief following the 2014 floods in Gaza 6. Co-organised nation-wide protests each weekend during Israel’s 50-day bombardment of Gaza in 2014 7. Transferred $25,000 to Gaza for urgent medical aid via Palestinian International Medical Aid in July 2014. 8. Sponsored an education project training young Palestinian journalists in Gaza 2015 9. Facilitated “NZ-Gaza twinning agreements” with a sports club and community centre in Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza. 10. Co-sponsored 2 ambulances for Doctors Worldwide rehabilitation centre in Khan Younis (Israeli bombing in 2014 destroyed 26 ambulances in Gaza) 11. Maintains website: kiaoragaza.net and facebook pages. 12. Co-hosted the NZ Conference on Palestine, 2013 and 2016 13. Facilitated 2 Maori TV journalists on board the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza in 2015 14. Co-hosted NZ speaking tours including: – Harry Fear (UK doco-maker) & Roger Fowler (Kia Ora Gaza) in 2013
– Jeff Halper (Director, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions) 2013
– Miko Peled (author) 2013
– Yousef Aljamal (Palestinian commentator) 2013
– Amira Hass (Israeli Journalist, Haaretz) 2015
– Samah Sabawi (Palestinian Writer) 2015
– Emad Burnat (Palestinian Film-maker) 2016
– Ali Abunimah (founder Electronic Intifada) 2016
– Rafeef Ziadah (Palestinian poet) April 2017
– Gideon Levy (Israeli journalist) 2017
– Huwaida Arraf (Palestinian lawyer) and Justine Sachs. 2018
-Dr Ramzy Baroud (US/Palestinian author) 2018
– Dr Salman Abu-Sitta (Palestinian author) 2019
15. Aug 2016 co-hosted special Auckland screening of Emad Burnat’s documentary ‘5 Broken Cameras’
16. Sept 2016. Transferred $6000 raised in our appeal to Palestinian doco-maker Emad Burnat towards a new camera.
17. Sept 2016 facilitated Green MP Marama Davidson to join Women’s Boat to Gaza peace flotilla.
18. Feb 2017 co-hosted film screening event: “The Idol”
19. April 2017, co-hosted three-city NZ tour with Palestinian performance poet Rafeef Ziadah and musician Phil Monsour.
20. May 2017 ‘Salt Water Challenge’ solidarity actions with Palestinian hunger strikers.
21. May 2017 transferred $1000 donation to Al Ahli Sports club in Nuseirat Refugee Camp, Gaza for football equipment. 22. July 2017 transferred our EURO1000 share to the FFC Gaza fishers project via MyCare Humanitarian Care Malaysia. 23. July 2017 transferred $1000 donation to Al Ahli Sports Club, Nuseirat Refugee Camp, Gaza. 24. Sept 2017 the Freedom Flotilla Coalition delivered fishing equipment as solidarity aid to 400 Gazan fishers via MyCare, Malaysia. 25. Kia Ora Gaza co-hosted a public lecture in Auckland on 3 December 2017, by renowned Haaretz journalist and writer, Gideon Levy. 26. January 2018, Kia Ora Gaza organiser, Roger Fowler, attends the Freedom Flotilla Coalition conference in Sweden to plan the 2018 international flotilla to break the illegal blockade of Gaza. 27. Co-organised Nationwide ‘Day of Action’ for Free Palestine on Sat 3 February 2018 demanding the release of all children held in Israeli prisons. 28. Co-hosted a public meeting at Auckland Uni with US/Palestinian writer Huwaida Arraf and Justine Sachs from Dayenu: NZ Jews against Occupation, March 2018. 29. Co-organised Auckland rallies in support of Palestinian March of Return, from April 2018. 30. Co-organised a five-city speaking tour with acclaimed US/Palestinian author, Dr Ramzy Baroud. May 2018. 31. Facilitated NZ participation in the 2018 Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. Selected veteran human rights campaigner and union leader, Mike Treen to represent NZ. Co-organised NZ speaking tour with Mike Treen.
32. The 2021 Kia Ora Gaza appeal for the ‘Miles of Smiles’ solidarity convoy of 37 ambulances and medical aid for Gaza raised $NZ35,000 to sponsor one ambulance together with our Freedom Flotilla Coalition partners. FFC has postponed the next flotilla until after Covid travel restrictions are lifted.
The ambulance the Kia Ora Gaza co-sponsored servicing the disabled community in Gaza.
CURRENT APPEALS
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is organising another international peace flotilla to challenge Israel's illegal 13 year naval blockade of Gaza and for a just future for Palestine - after the Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions have been lifted.For updates visit the FFC facebook page and website: freedomflotilla.org You can support NZ participation in this project by checking the options in the 'How to donate to Kia Ora Gaza' segment below.Appeal target: $40,000 to cover costs of our share of the purchase and upgrade of the flotilla boats, airfares and accommodation for our NZ participant.
HOW TO DONATE TO KIA ORA GAZA
Make a direct payment to our bank account: Kia Ora Gaza Trust, 03-0211-0447718-000, Westpac Bank, Onehunga branch. Afterwards, email office@kiaoragaza.net with your deposit details so we can send you an e-receipt.
The Kia Ora Gaza Trust is a Charitable Trust incorporated with the Companies Office under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957. Registration number 2540065 NZBN Number: 9429043214167. However we are not registered with IRD for tax deduction purposes, as Kia Ora Gaza is deemed to be mainly an advocacy group.
FREEDOM FLOTILLA TO GAZA: DOCUMENTARY
A MaoriTV media team of senior journalist Ruwani Perera and award-winning, free-lance camera operator Jacob Bryant, returned home from reporting on the 2015 Freedom Flotilla III attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.
Facilitated by Kia Ora Gaza, the Native Affairs team joined other international journalists on the board the flotilla to observe and document the mission.
Thanks to all those who generously supported the Flotilla project.
Kia Ora Gaza has raised funds for many humanitarian projects, including a contribution to 10 tonnes of medical aid on Miles of Smiles convoy in 2012, $3500 for Gaza flood relief in 2013, sponsored a special education project in 2015, supported Gaza fishers project 2017 (1000Euros). Over 100,000 Palestinians were injured and over 2,100 killed during Israel’s 2014 genocidal onslaught, and their illegal siege on Gaza left the medical services without basic supplies.
Kia Ora Gaza Trust launched an urgent appeal for funds towards humanitarian relief in war-ravaged Gaza, resulting in $25,000 urgent medical aid sent to Gaza in 2014.
KIA ORA GAZA HAS CO-SPONSORED SIX AMBULANCES FOR GAZA.
Kia Ora Gaza co-sponsored two ambulances for Doctors Worlwide Gaza in 2015.
Kia Ora Gaza also donated three ambulances packed with medical aid during the 'Lifeline to Gaza' international convoy in 2010. And in 2021 KOG sent $35,000 to co-sponsor one ambulance in the Miles of Smiles solidarity convoy of 37 ambulances in 2021.
VIDEO: The manager of the Doctors World Wide Turkey services in Gaza, Mohammed Alkhatib, thanks Viva Palestina Malaysia (VPM) and Kia Ora Gaza donors for jointly sponsoring two new ambulances at their Khan Younis rehabilitation clinic. The video also shows the recently delivered ambulances in service. (Video by DWWT 21 October 2015.) CLICK HERE
Roger Fowler teaching Kiwi-English at Al Aqsa University, Gaza City.
COMING EVENTS
Kia Ora Gaza is planning future speaking tours & other events, in cooperation with Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa and PHRC. Watch this space.
Please note that the planned 2020 Freedom Flotilla to Gaza has been postponed until further notice due to the current Covid-19 global pandemic.
In June 2012, Kia Ora Gaza sent a four-person team to Gaza as part of an international aid convoy. Our Kiwi convoyers were (from left) Roger Fowler, Tali Williams, Gibran Janif and Hone Fowler. This land convoy, which left from Cairo, delivered ten tonnes of urgently needed medical supplies to health authorities in Gaza. In November 2012 Kia Ora Gaza sent Roger Fowler on a fact-finding mission to Gaza (see his reports posted Nov-Dec 2012 on this website). UK documentary-maker Harry Fear joined Roger on a speaking tour of NZ on his return.
In November 2010, six volunteers from Kia Ora Gaza joined an international land convoy which delivered NZ$7 million in medical aid to Gaza. The convoy, which left from London and was joined by other columns from North Africa and the Middle East, arrived at night in Gaza City to a rapturous welcome from Palestinian throngs.
Our fallen heros
We remember the ten humanitarians on board the Gaza aid vessel Mavi Marmara killed by Israeli commandos on 31 May 2010:
Ibrahim Bilgen
Ali Haydar Bengi
Cevdet Kiliçlar
Çetin Topçuoglu
Necdet Yildirim
Fahri Yaldiz
Cengiz Songür
Cengiz Akyüz
Furkan Dogan
Ugur Suleyman Soylemez
![56 years old Fadl Rabi speaks during an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency at his home in a small Palestinian village At-Tuwani, Hebron on October 21, 2021 [Mamoun Wazwaz - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/20211021_2_50543546_69883378.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1)
Kia Ora Gaza 