Four Irish students on a 6,000-kilometre fundraising cycle which was to end in Gaza were today refused entry to the troubled region.
The students crossed 14 countries fighting off wild dogs in Turkey and near hypothermia in the French Alps to raise money for a neo-natal unit and medical resources for burn victims following the war with Israel.
But despite an invite from the Irish head of United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Gaza John Ging and other official documentation, they were refused entry.
Team member Eoghan Quinn, from Waterford, said they were glad to reach the Rafah crossing and insisted the trip was about raising awareness as well as seeing Gaza first hand.
“We cycled up to the border and saw there were families, some may have been waiting to cross for days, weeks or months - mothers and fathers on one side and children stuck on the other,” he said. “We went up to approach the crossing guards but the Egyptian authorities stopped us, they said that we did not have the right documents.”
The Egyptian authorities forced the cyclists to turn back and brought them in a military escort to Cairo, from where they will fly home.
The cyclists, who travelled under the banner Pathways to Palestine, left Ireland on June 22nd, cycling more than 150 kilometres a day, resting only once a week.
Gearóid Ó Cuinn said: “We have tried our best and we have seen the prison of Gaza in operation. The fact that we didn’t get in speaks volumes.
“We have overcome hypothermia in France, several falls with some on busy highways and survived being chased by wild hounds in central Turkey, it’s been tough but epic, and to fall at the last hurdle is disappointing, but it’s also about creating awareness around this guarded situation.”
The team, which also includes 30-year-old medical student John Maher and 21-year-old pharmacy student Ronan Sheehan, all study in Glasgow.
They had attempted to cycle the final leg of the journey from Egypt to Rafah but were stopped.
They were refused permission to bring their support vehicle through the Sinai desert and abandoned the plan instead hiring a taxi to drive the 550km through the night.
They have received world-wide support with a reception in Leinster House by TDs and Senators and a formal motion of commendation passed by the Scottish Parliament.
PA