Iran accuses Israel of halting aid ship to Gaza

Israeli warships have ordered an Iranian vessel carrying humanitarian aid for Palestinians in
Gaza to leave the area, an Iranian aid official was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars News Agency on Wednesday.

Iran, which has condemned the Jewish state for attacking the coastal territory, earlier this week said the aid ship was nearing Gaza but state radio reported on Tuesday it had been stopped by Israel's navy.

Israel has in the past accused Iran of supplying arms to Hamas, the Islamist group which controls Gaza. Tehran says it gives moral, financial and humanitarian support.

"It (the Iranian ship) is now 45 miles away from Gaza and an hour ago, again, we received a warning from Israeli warships to leave the region," the head of Iran's Red Crescent, Massoud
Khatami, was quoted as saying by Fars.

"If these warnings continue we will change our route from Gaza to the (Egyptian) port of al-Arish," he said without giving any detail on the Israeli warning.

The ship was carrying 200 tons of foodstuff and medicine "for distribution among the blockaded people of Gaza," state radio has said.

Ahmad Navvab, described by Iranian media as the ship's director on board, on Tuesday said the aid may be delivered via Egypt and the Rafah border crossing if the ship could not reach Gaza. Egypt is the only Arab state bordering Gaza.

Iran said last week it had told Egypt it was ready to treat those wounded in Israel's assault and wanted to set up a field hospital nearby on Egyptian territory. Iran has also said it had landed a plane in Egypt with aid and wanted to send more.

Iran does not recognize Israel's right to exist and does not have full relations with Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel. Iranian hardliners have accused Egypt of not doing enough to help Gaza's Palestinians.

Insufficient aid

Israel has permitted almost daily truck shipments of food and medicine, since it started its massive offensive in the Gaza Strip on Dec. 27, which has killed nearly 1,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 4,400. But Human Rights Watch said Israel's daily 3-hour break in attacks to facilitate the supply of humanitarian aid to Gazans was "woefully insufficient".

Two weeks ago, an Israeli patrol vessel rammed a boat of Palestinian activists carrying a shipment of medical aid that tried to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The "Dignity"—that sailed from Cyprus—was ordered to turn around, and warning shots were fired across its bow, but the 20-meter (66-foot) vessel nevertheless tried to navigate around the patrol boat which blocked its passage.

There were no reported casualties in the collision, but both vessels suffered damage.

On Dec. 1, the Israeli navy prevented a Libyan ship carrying 3,000 tons of humanitarian aid for Palestinians from docking in Gaza.

As al-Marwa approached Gazan water at dawn, an Israeli naval ship ordered it to turn back. The ship headed south and docked at al-Arish.

Another boat, carrying activists, doctors, aid workers and European parliamentarians, sailed for Gaza from Cyprus with medical supplies for Gaza on Wednesday.

"We have been told that the Israeli navy will not let us pass, and should that be the case our intention is to non-violently resist. We are unarmed civilians," said Mary Hughes, a member of the Free Gaza Movement.

Aid agencies have warned of a growing humanitarian crisis in the territory where the vast majority of the 1.5 million population depends on foreign aid and is already reeling from 18 months of punishing Israeli blockade.

"Israeli bombardment is causing extensive destruction to homes and to public infrastructure throughout the Gaza Strip and is jeopardizing water, sanitation and medical services," said a U.N. field report.