Home
Politics
The 92-metre (302-foot) freighter has a 12-man crew and will carry up to nine passengers, a representative of Piraeus-based agents Alpha Shipping said. "The ship is expected to sail this evening," he told AFP.
But a member of crew later said the departure could be delayed until Saturday.
"We expect to reach Gaza in four or five days without stopping," crew member Oussama Almahamid from Syria told AFP.
"It all depends on the weather, there are strong winds at the moment," he added.
The Libyan organisers of the initiative had earlier said the 25-year-old ship, owned by Piraeus-based ACA Shipping Corporation, was called Hope.
The Tripoli-based Gaddafi International Charity and Development Association said the cargo ship was "loaded with about 2,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid in the form of foodstuff and medications."
The ship will also carry "a number of supporters who are keen on expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people in the plight amidst the siege imposed on Gaza," the organisation added in a faxed statement.
The charity is chaired by Saif Al-Islam Kadhafi, the Libyan strongman's second son.
In May eight Turks and a dual US-Turkish citizen were killed when Israeli commandos attacked a flotilla heading for Gaza, sparking a furious row with Ankara which wants Israel to apologise or accept an international probe.
Greece's ruling Socialist party had cultivated close ties with Libya some three decades ago under then premier Andreas Papandreou, the father of current Prime Minister George Papandreou.
George Papandreou himself visited Libya last month for talks with Kadhafi, signing a memorandum to develop closer economic relations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
But a member of crew later said the departure could be delayed until Saturday.
"We expect to reach Gaza in four or five days without stopping," crew member Oussama Almahamid from Syria told AFP.
"It all depends on the weather, there are strong winds at the moment," he added.
The Libyan organisers of the initiative had earlier said the 25-year-old ship, owned by Piraeus-based ACA Shipping Corporation, was called Hope.
The Tripoli-based Gaddafi International Charity and Development Association said the cargo ship was "loaded with about 2,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid in the form of foodstuff and medications."
The ship will also carry "a number of supporters who are keen on expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people in the plight amidst the siege imposed on Gaza," the organisation added in a faxed statement.
The charity is chaired by Saif Al-Islam Kadhafi, the Libyan strongman's second son.
In May eight Turks and a dual US-Turkish citizen were killed when Israeli commandos attacked a flotilla heading for Gaza, sparking a furious row with Ankara which wants Israel to apologise or accept an international probe.
Greece's ruling Socialist party had cultivated close ties with Libya some three decades ago under then premier Andreas Papandreou, the father of current Prime Minister George Papandreou.
George Papandreou himself visited Libya last month for talks with Kadhafi, signing a memorandum to develop closer economic relations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
