A ship carrying international pro-Palestinian activists succeeded to dock at Gaza seaport on Wednesday though Israel threatened to prevent the campaigners from entering Gaza territorial waters.
"The Hope" boat docked at 8 a.m. local time (0600 GMT), Hamas' naval police sources said. The boat started its voyage Tuesday from eastern Mediterranean state of Cyprus.
27 people were on board, including Western human rights defenders, peace activists, journalists, European and Palestinian lawmakers, according to Jamal al-Khodary, head of the Gaza-based Popular Committee against the Siege.
The campaigners will stay in Gaza for four days and will be touring the area to have an in-depth look into the effects of the Israeli siege, al-Khodary added. Some of the activists may stay for longer.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday the voyage would be blocked.
It is the second such trip in which international activists challenge the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza Strip since June 2007.
A spokeswoman for the Israeli foreign ministry said the activists who were allowed to dock at Gaza in August took advantage from staying in Gaza to provoke the Israeli marine boats that monitor Gaza waters.
Israel imposed restrictions on Gaza Strip after Hamas won parliamentary elections in 2006. But a year later, Israel tightened the blockade as Hamas consolidated its rule in the territory after routing security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Source:Xinhua
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