A Dubai-based doctor is to risk his life defying an Israeli sea blockade of Gaza today.“I’m not being cheesy or fatalistic about this, but we have to be realistic about the dangers. Whatever comes, so be it,” Dr Ali Dabbagh said as he prepared to board a ship in Cyprus that will take him to the Gaza coast.
Israeli navy boats are stationed off the Gaza coast and last week rammed a similar effort to reach Gaza civilians.
The group ‘Free Gaza Campaign’ had to abandon their boat last week and have returned with another vessel, this time with Dr Dabbagh on.
“I’m in a pharmacy collecting last minute supplies. Anything we can get our hands on, we are going to use,” Dr Dabbagh said from a port that cannot be named for security reasons.
The boat was due to reach the Gaza coast today, where an Israeli blockade had promised to stop ships passing.
“We have heard all kinds of stories about other boats that have tried the same thing. All I can do is go ahead and hope for the best,” Dr Ali said.
Under the terms of the Oslo peace agreement, Israeli still controls Gaza coastal waters and has vowed not to let any vessels through to Gaza during its bombardment of the Palestinian territory.
Dr Dabbagh said that most medical supplies were already onboard the ship and that he had “pulled the short straw” and was being sent to the pharmacy to buy extra supplies.
Dr Dabbagh’s mission is particularly important as many of the others onboard are journalists who been blocked from reporting in Gaza.
He heard about the ship last Thursday and immediately dropped everything and rushed to Cyprus to help.
This is the only one who walk the talk!
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