To be allowed to enter into Gaza or not to be allowed? This is the question swirling in my mind these days as I am getting ready to travel with a Codepink delegation to Egypt and then to Gaza.

Last March, I missed the opportunity to join a similar delegation mostly composed of women from all over the world who commemorated International Women’s Day with Palestinians women. They also visited this tiny territory where 1.5 millions of people, half of them children and youth, who have struggled to live through almost two years of siege and terrible ongoing war. 

CAIRO--We have some great news to report!!!

The day started out with a 3a.m. call from one of our delegations in Al Arish saying that secret police had contacted them at 2p.m. to intimidate them and say they would not get into Gaza. We, in Cairo, told them to go on to the border and see what happens.

Then at 9a.m. in the morning, when all three groups got in their buses to go to the border, they were stopped at the first checkpoint, surrounded by riot police, and not allowed to even get off the bus.

They were told that there were military exercises going on in the area and that they could not move forward to the border. Meanwhile, they saw other cars going in and out. But they were forced to turn around to go back to Al Arish.

We are going to Rafah border early this morning and we were expecting that we have security clearance. Now the news is that the European convoy has not been given
clearance and they are staging a sit in inside the terminal building at Rafah border. This means we may not get very far today.

We are prepared for whatever happens. The students delegation will arrive this morning. The New York group I think will be tomorrow.

Mohammed in Gaza has called several times -- he has confirmed the hotel, several meetings with NGO's, hospitals and more. He has arranged a press conference for today in Gaza. The contact from the news agency called me around midnight last night but the connection was horrible.

It is Friday 6:45 pm and we have had a very full day – a day of adventures and blessings.  We have reached Al Arish- our prayers are being answered.  I want to say that I can feel the support of all you. You are making the difference for us. I believe that It is all our positive energy and visualization that is the success of all our efforts.

I wrote this morning about our day yesterday and I lost it all when I saved it.  I guess that is what happens on 2 hours sleep at 3 a.m.  I will not try to recreate it.  Too much has happened today and I have so much to tell you.  I do not have internet access at the Sinai Stars Hotel.  We will try to find internet tonight.

It is Saturday, May 23, and at 10 am we will leave for the Rafah border and as Ann Wright says: knock on the doors at Rafah and tell them we are here.  There is a group of medics who are on a hunger strike at the border now.  If we can’t get in – we would like to support them by staying with them and joining their hunger strike – perhaps a few of us at a time.