On this day last year members of the third Viva Palestina overland convoy arrived in Gaza after a month of travelling from London. Their arrival would have been much earlier had it not been for major obstacles posed by the Egyptian authorities. They were barred from entering Egypt via the Red Sea, causing the convoy of about 500 people to be stranded in Aqaba, Jordan, for five days. They were then forced to detour for more than 500 miles to Latakia, Syria, where there were more delays before they could sail via the Mediterranean Sea.

I write this as a truly distressed young Malaysian.