After much controversy, the Egyptian armed forces has finally allowed a medical convoy, that they had earlier grounded, to cross into the Gaza Strip, according to prominent rights advocate and lawyer Khaled Ali.
A number of activists on social networking sites began to circulate news saying that the army prevented the convoy from passing, despite obtaining a permit from the General Intelligence.
"The armed forces prevented the convoy of the Red Crescent from ferry crossing Kantara because they allegedly need to obtain a permit from the military intelligence, though they have a permit from the General Intelligence and the Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs, and a similar convoy for the [Red] Crescent crossed the [canal] last week," political activist Hend Nafe wrote.
"A medical popular convoy that has permits from the Foreign and Health Ministries is not allowed to pass," activist Mona Seif wrote on Twitter.
"If there are truly military operations, preventing the passage of convoys can be understandable. But they had to clearly state that and coordinate with the convoys to know when they are allowed to pass, or to find another secured path for the convoys. But its unbelievable that the convoy obtains permits and then discovers it is not allowed to pass. The waste of money is unbelievable," Seif added.
"Why is the medical convoy bound to Gaza banned from passing? Why? We obtained a permit from the General Intelligence, and now the pretext is 'No we need a permit from the military intelligence'?"
wrote Nourhan Hifzy, the wife of political activist Ahmed Doma, on Facebook.
"Each institution wants to impose control [like children] in a nursery!" she added.
"Rejecting the Egyptian initiative would never be an acceptable justification for imposing an Egyptian blockade on Gaza," Hifzy mentioned.
The Bread and Freedom Party posted a similar complaint on Facebook.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
