While the participants in the humanitarian convoy “Miles of Smiles 8” are making the down count ,awaiting the approval of the Egyptian authorities for their entry to Gaza Strip,they are still hoping to get this approval very soon, and not to wait for days, especially when considering the nature of their humanitarian convoy and the participants coming from remote areas.

Dr.Issam Mustafa, the general coordinator of the convoy said that waiting hours are very troubling for many participants, as some of them are aged people, in addition to a 14-year-old girl , while most of them has work obligations in the countries from which they came from.

Dr. Mustafa added that 30 participants have already arrived from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and France noting that the Algerian delegation (35 participants) and the Tunisian (32 ) still did not arrive yet , because they could not get entry visa to Egypt.

Afnan Al-Baz, is 14 years old and the youngest among the participants said that this is the first time she is coming to visit Gaza, and that she took this decision after hearing about the success of the previous seven convoys of “ Miles of Smiles Campaign” in reaching Gaza and delivering the humanitarian aid to needy people of Gaza.

Salah El-dine Issa, from Jerash refugee camp in Jordan, despite of his 70 years of age did not hesitate to apply and participate in the convoy, considering it as an opportunity to visit Gaza where he was born.

Issa expressed his happiness for visiting besieged Gaza Strip noting that the convoy of “Miles of Smiles 8” brought people from various parts of the world to break Gaza siege and help its oppressed inhabitants.

He also called rich Palestinian and Arab businessmen living abroad to support Gaza, pointing to the good response of many of them in supporting the charitable activities in this direction.

For his part, Dr.Ali Al-Utoum from Jordan expressed his feelings of love for visiting Gaza, saying that he always hoped to realize this wish, noting to his previous experience when he was prevented from doing so during the ousted Egyptian regime of Hosni Mubarak.

He stressed the importance for those visiting besieged Gaza to be capable to convey its people’s suffering to the citizens of his country when returning home, in order to urge other people of free conscience to do their duty in supporting the oppressed people of the besieged coastal enclave.

AB.