Israeli defense minister orders army to block North African aid convoy from entering Gaza

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered his army on Wednesday to prevent a North African aid convoy from entering the besieged Gaza Strip.

A statement from his office said that Katz instructed the army to block the entry of what he described as “jihadist protesters” from entering Gaza from Egypt.

“I expect the Egyptian authorities to prevent them from reaching the Egypt-Israel border and not allow them to carry out provocations and try to enter Gaza,” he added.

Consisting of 12 buses and 100 private cars, the convoy of more than 1,000 activists from North African countries set off from Tunisia on Monday. It is expected to reach Egypt on Thursday before reaching the city of Rafah near the border with Gaza.