First Asian aid caravan returns successfully to Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 11 (ANI): The first Asian caravan that went to Gaza with aid has reached to New Delhi.

The caravan, which included 120 people from 17 countries, also had an eight-month-old baby on board along with a 70-year-old.

In face of heavy odds and the dangers along the route, the group managed to reach Gaza, keeping Gandhi's ideals close to their heart.

Feroze Mithiborwala, the founder of the aid caravan said that the people of Gaza and Palestine are a lesson and a source of inspiration to the entire world.

"The people of Gaza are free in their mind and in their spirit. They are a lesson to the entire world. They refuse to succumb to the Israeli seize, to the daily bombardment and to the failing infrastructure," said Mithiborwala.

Mithiborwala further said that the objective behind the caravan was to end seize and to call for international boycott of Israel.

Mithiborwala also added that there need to be a common programme of resistance and negotiations to solve out the problem.

"We want to see the unification of the Palestine movement; we want to see Fatah and Hamas together, but it can only be on a programme of resistance. Negotiations with the Israelis will not take you anywhere, we know that. So, there has to be a common programme of resistance and a common programme of negotiations. That is been our message all throughout to the Palestine people," he said.

Israel has been maintaining a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007, when Hamas took control of the territory.

The blockade restricts the entry of construction materials badly needed for rebuilding houses, health centres and schools.

Last year Israeli commandos attacked an aid flotilla that was heading for Gaza, and the international community condemned the deadly siege. (ANI)