15.30 (GMT) Sunday 8th March

FRUSTRATIONS AT RAFAH CROSSING

The Viva Palestina convoy is still stuck 40km from the Rafah border crossing at Al Arish after failing to progress through the border gates to Gaza.

During the day new obstacles have been placed in the path of the convoy passing into Gaza via the Rafar crossing.

However, the whole convoy is determined to stay united in purpose and in one piece - and that all vehicles and equipment including the convoy's mascot, the red fire engine as well as the boat and the Bolton generator will enter Gaza together.

George Galloway and other convoy leaders have been involved in lengthy negotiations all day with the Egyptian authorities to find a solution and remove these obstacles. Negotiations will carry on for the rest of the day but it does look likely that the convoy will not cross into Gaza today. Indeed, Yvonne Ridley reports, from the Viva Palestina compound in Al Arish, that these is now a football match taking place between the British and Libyan drivers

Members of the convoy have found themselves extremely frustrated.

But everyone is hopeful that the humanitarian aid they have carried for 24 days over 10,000km, across seven countries and two continents, entering their third continent yesterday, will finally reach the needy and destitute people and children of Gaza without any further delays.

Will keep you updated.

On a brighter note, the Scottish Medical Aid convoy which passed into Gaza yesterday reports that they have distributed all their medical aid to the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza – including the keys to their trucks. They await the passage of our convoy and send their solidarity greetings.

Farid Arada and Clive Searle