Convoy in Gaza after violent stand-off

About 520 people on board 150 lorries full of supplies had been involved in violent scenes that erupted on Tuesday night at the port city of El Arish, near Gaza.

Protests reportedly broke out when Egyptian authorities at El Arish ordered some lorries to use an Israeli-controlled checkpoint.

The activists, led by MP George Galloway, wanted the goods to be transported via Egypt's Rafah crossing.

After negotiations yesterday, an agreement was reached that allowed 139 lorries and vans pass through Egyptian territory.

Mr Galloway's parliamentary assistant Kevin Ovenden who is travelling with the party, said the convoy was relieved to be back on the move.

"The atmosphere has de-escalated after what was a brutal attack," he said. "Some vehicles have started crossing the border."

Another member of the group, Alexandra Lort-Phillips, 37, who works for a north London youth offending service, spoke of people being "pelted with stones" during Tuesday night's violent clashes.

"I have 42 people in my team, and out of those three Britons have been injured. There are head injuries, cuts," she said.

"We started getting pelted with stones by people in plain clothes, then the police started moving in, using tear gas and batons.

"People were quite severely beaten."

She said seven or eight of the convoy members had to be treated in hospital, and blamed "heavy-handed" policing of their group.

Earlier this week convoy members, many of whom left London on December 6, staged noisy protests after Egyptian officials took away their passports and there was a lengthy delay in giving them back.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the reports of unrest and are in touch with the Egyptian authorities and the convoy

organisers.

"We are monitoring the situation and will offer consular assistance to anyone who needs it."