Jewish Aid Ship Sails For Gaza

A tiny aid boat sponsored by international Jewish organizations set sail Sunday from Cyprus to Gaza. The boat, named Irene, was carrying 10 passengers and crew, including Jews from the U.S., the U.K., Germany, and Israel. They plan to try to enter Gaza despite the blockade to the occupied territory. “The boat will attempt to reach the coast of Gaza and unload its aid cargo in a nonviolent, symbolic act of solidarity and protest—and call for the siege to be lifted to enable free passage of goods and people to and from the Gaza Strip,” organizers said in a statement. The boat’s cargo includes children’s toys, musical instruments, textbooks, and prosthetic limbs, according to organizers. The goods will be delivered to the Gaza Mental Health Program. “Israeli government policies are not supported by all Jews,” said Richard Kuper of Jews for Justice for Palestinians, one of the organizers. “We call on all governments and people around the world to speak and act against the occupation and the siege.”