Activist boats allowed into Gaza despite Israeli blockade

GAZA CITY (AFP) - Two boats carrying 44 pro-Palestinian activists from Cyprus arrived in the Gaza Strip on Saturday after Israel allowed them through despite its tight blockade of the Hamas-ruled territory.

The boats set sail on Friday carrying activists from 17 countries, including Israel, who hoped to draw attention to the blockade of Gaza which has been ruled by the Islamist Hamas movement since June 2007.

The boats sailed through choppy grey waters and into Gaza City’s main port, where they were greeted by around 2,000 people waving Palestinian flags, many of them motoring around the harbour in boats.

Israel had initially warned the activists to stay away from Gaza’s coastal waters but later allowed them to pass, hours after the crew said their communications systems had been jammed as they sailed through stormy seas.