Hamas says Gaza ready to receive flotilla
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Xinhua, June 28, 2011
Hamas authorities on Tuesday announced that the Gaza Strip is ready to receive an international flotilla that will set sail soon to challenge the Israeli naval blockade.
The 10-ship flotilla will sail from several Greek ports, though Israel vowed to prevent it from reaching the Hamas-controlled coastal enclave.
The Higher Committee to Break Siege, a committee run by the Hamas government, inspected Gaza's fishing port and held a press conference to declare that the ships can dock in the port.
The committee also denounced Israel's threats against the organizers of the Freedom Flotilla 2 and called on the United Nations to press Israel to lift its blockade in Gaza, which was imposed when Hamas took over the territory in June 2007.
In May 2010, Israeli naval commandos attacked a Gaza-bound flotilla and killed nine pro-Palestinian activists. To calm down an international outcry that followed the raid, Israel relaxed its blockade overland.
The flotilla carries symbolic aid and hundreds of activists from more than 100 countries, including a number of European parliamentarians.
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