On October 21, 243 truckloads of food, fuel + construction materials legally entered the Gaza Strip via Karni & Kerem Shalom Crossings under the auspices of the IDF.

In yet another attempt to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip, after five weeks on the road through France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Syria, the Viva Palestina 5 aid convoy finally entered Gaza also on October 21. The convoy was made up of almost 150 vehicles, 370 people from 30 different countries and $5 million of aid. The activists are expected to spend three days in Gaza to hand over the aid, conduct a number of visits and hold meetings with government officials.

The Gazans were thrilled to greet the envoy.

Meanwhile, according to an op-ed piece by right-wing political critic, Orna Shimoni in Ynet, Stanley Fischer, honored as the world’s best bank governor and governor of the Bank of Israel, is the “main party who exerts pressure in favor of fund transfers to Hamas. He is the one who saved the terror group from collapsing, continues to rehabilitate it, and also prevents the collapse of Gaza Strip banks.”

Orna Shimoni went on to say that since the Bank of Israel took over in Gaza in 2007, 80% of the billions of dollars have been transferred to Hamas to finance arms smuggling.

Hamas succeeds in raising funds from certain propaganda activities in Western Europe and North America. In 2003, US intelligence estimated that the militant group had an annual budget of $50m – a number that has surely increased over the years.

The organization also operates in European countries and the United States, mainly among the Palestinian population, by conducting fundraising – through charity associations and foundations, building hospitals and schools in the Gaza Strip, and funding terrorism in Israel – Dawa activity.

According to WorldTribune.com: Hamas approved a $540m budget for 2010, the lion’s share of which came from Iranian aid.

The State of Jewish Settlement, Gush Katif, today:

The Viva Palestina:

The Humanitarian Crisis in the Gaza Strip circa 2010: