North Yorkshire aid workers return from Gaza (From York Press)

North Yorkshire aid workers return from Gaza

8:10am Friday 15th January 2010 in

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THEY spent nervous days as virtual prisoners in the hands of Egyptian security forces before making their triumphant entry in to Gaza on a Middle East mercy mission.

Now the team who drove an ambulance across Europe from York to deliver urgent medical supplies to the Palestinians have returned home and spoken to The Press about the highs and lows of the final days of their journey.

Mike Gwilliam, Nicholas Hall and Heather and Steve Stroud were part of the huge Viva Palestina ambulance convoy which set off from London for Gaza on December 6.

After travelling across Europe, things came to a head in Egypt, where, after days of obstruction from the authorities the convoy found itself impounded in the port of El Arish, surrounded by riot police.

Mr Stroud, 59, of Ampleforth, said: “We were expecting to be allowed to drive all our vehicles to Gaza at about 5pm that evening.

“Then an Egyptian negotiator said a previous agreement had been changed and we had to hand over 60 of our vehicles to the Israelis.”

The request was refused by MP George Galloway, who was also travelling with convoy, and the York team said fights broke out between members of the convoy and the police who used water cannons to disperse the unrest.

“We ended up handing out medical supplies from our ambulance to treat the injured,” said Mr Gwilliam, 62, of Norton.

The situation was eventually calmed by a Turkish member of the convoy and the riot police moved back to preside over an uneasy peace, until days later word came that the vehicles could head into Gaza.

Remembering his arrival in the disputed Palestinian territory last week, Mr Stroud described the journey as “amazing.”

“The streets were just absolutely packed with people. As soon as we got through, the ambulance was just covered with carnations. The greeting was overwhelming.”

The team said on entering Gaza the need for the medical supplies became evident.

“They haven’t got anything – this was very badly needed,” Mr Gwilliam said.

“We delivered the ambulance and the medical aid that people had given us the money to buy and we got them 100 per cent to the right organisation. We gave the people of Gaza a psychological boost.”