Getting into Gaza

Hello again, 

This is Inaya reporting from Gaza!  First of all I mentioned in my earlier blog the hardship we faced in order to get through the Rafah border in Egypt.  To summarize it all, it took us 4 attempts in 4 consecutive days.  On the 3rd day, we went back to the border with no intention to turn back around.  I for one was going to stay no matter what.  So we were all determined to stay and get in, and if we didn't get in we were sticking around and demonstrate till someone hears us.  I contacted several press people, Aljazeera, Daily Press in Cairo and a local journalist and human rights activist in Al-Arish to come and get coverage of our stay at the border.  We arrived at about 11 am on the 3rd day and stayed all day battling with our 'friends' at the Egyptian border.  No luck still, so we pulled out our tent, got permission to put it up too, and we decided to camp out there.  I am assuming that they allowed us to put up our tent because they really didn't think we would really stay, little did they know we actually did.  When they realized that we are sticking around they made us tear down our tents.  We also had the delegation from Italy join us in our stay so they were even more shocked to see about 30 people sleeping in front of the borer in the cold, windy desert weather all night.  But we did, and that night there were about 7 Israeli strikes at the border attempting to destroy tunnels.  Some were about 1/2 a kilometer away.  We felt the impact loud and clear.  It was frightening and discouraging at times but we stuck it out.  I can barely imagine the daily torture that the Palestinians go through every day.  On the 4Th day, after spending the night on the bare cold concrete on the side of the border, we were ready to and more determined to put up another fight for this good cause.  We were there all day again, going back & forth with Egyptian authority trying to convince us to leave and return with our approval from our embassy because that is the only way in.  By now we learned their bureaucracy and can outsmart them.  We were joined by the Italian Delegation, whom consist of 21 members one of them whom is French and another who is Swiss.  The Italians had a group of 9 doctors who put up a table to triage by-passers as a symbolic statement.  While the rest of us put up banners and made posters to protest this blockade.  We were also then joined by a British Delegation that consisted of 12 members whom were all doctors that brought in cases of medications and medical supplies and as well were not allowed in.  They were going back and forth for 3 weeks they told me.  Another group of 2 British young men also joined us, and they were making a documentary about Gaza.  All these groups stuck together and we all held a demonstration forming a long line across the gates of the Rafah, Egypt border.  We were chanting and even singing in Italian to end the siege on Gaza.  People started to gather around and we created a bit of a chaos that the Egyptian Authority did not appreciate.  At this point I don't think they wanted the publicity, so they worked on getting rid of us one way or another.  And the one way was not an option, so the only way to get rid of us is to let us in.  I am proud to say that I personally gave them hell.  I was loud and clear on my demands and wasn't going to take NO for an answer.  So did all the other members.  We were fed up at this point.  I am also proud to say that the Egyptian Authority called me out of the crowed and asked me where is the rest of my group and to get them ready because at last they were going to let us through!!  They did apply a few of extra and unnecessary demands on their part just to make it more difficult but we gladly did what they asked of us.  For one they asked us to go to the Press Ministry and get passes for 2 of our members in order to get in, but with all the media and press contacts I had, I had the perfect resources to make it happen over the phone!  I even got passes for a California journalist, as well as our 2 British film makers.  Everyone was great full and so was I.  I am proud that the US Delegation was the first to break through the border and were the first in.  It took team efforts and lots of courage.  I am glad to be able to connect with everyone once again, and will write more about my actual experience in Gaza in the following blog.