With over 1,300 activists from a total of 43 different countries, the Gaza Freedom March from Egypt into the battered, blockaded territory was the culmination of over a year of frustration for those who felt they had no choice but to help in any way they could.

The planned Dec. 29 march to meet and provide aid to locals inside Gaza on Dec. 31 was stifled by the Egyptian government for “security reasons,” despite an outpouring of support via e-mails and calls to Egyptian embassies. The activists had to “bring Gaza to Cairo” through protests and a hunger strike that included 85-year-old Holocaust survivor and Hedy Epstein, an American. The activists blocked traffic on major roads in Cairo and held a sit-in downtown at the city’s Tahrir Square.

Egyptian officials also delayed and reportedly tear-gassed an aid convoy led by British Parliamentarian George Galloway, according to Christian Science Monitor.

Eventually, some marchers were let into Gaza by the government as part of the convoy through a compromise deal reported by the Jordan Times on Thursday. Officials were expected to allow 158 trucks from the aid convoy through the Rafah crossing in northern Egypt, but 40 private cars in the convoy were required to stay in Egypt for a month for security procedures.

Official Egyptian news agency MENA said Egypt would close the border on Thursday after the convoy had passed through into Gaza.

The peaceful nature of the Gaza Freedom March couldn’t prevent violence from breaking out.

One Egyptian soldier was killed and 20 Palestinians were injured during border disputes between Palestinian protestors and Egyptian police on Wednesday, according to Christian Science Monitor.

On Thursday, Israeli air strikes against smuggling tunnels killed two Palestinians and wounded two others, according to Palestinian medics. The Israeli military said the strikes were in response to ten mortars and a rocket fired into Israel, according to AFP.

Despite problems getting through the border crossing, members of the march were proud of the attention they were able to draw to the plight of Gazans.

The Michigan Peace Team (MPT) blog posted a message relayed from marchers, including MPT member Yusif Barakat, who managed to return to his homeland.

“The Gaza Freedom March delegation learned about the incredible resilience of Gazans,” one post reads. “Though the grip of the occupation and now the added blockade brings misery to the people of Gaza, their spirit is not crushed. Gazans rally together and care for one another. They are convinced that blockade and occupation will end, and until that time, they believe their spirit will prevail.”

Galloway also spoke to Al-Jazeera TV, taking issue with the Egyptians’ treatment of the march’s activists.

Galloway said Egypt “besieged us, locked us up, and betrayed us.” He said he believes most Egyptians disagreed with the government’s decision not to let the activists and aid through the borders, and that future aid convoys were being organized by Venezuela, South Africa and Malaysia.

Solidarity Rally in Dearborn

About 150 people held a candlelight vigil, rally, and workshop in Dearborn on Tuesday, Dec. 29 at the steps of Dearborn City Hall and at the Lebanese American Heritage Club.

The rally was held along with others in cities across the U.S. and around the world, including New York, Minneapolis, Tel Aviv and Cairo, to spread awareness and remember the loss of about 1,400 lives in Gaza during the Israeli Operation Cast Lead a year earlier.

Activists from such groups as the Michigan Peace Team, Code: Pink, and the Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) all made their presence felt at the Dearborn gathering.

After waving signs a the City Hall steps, the activists marched to the Lebanese American Heritage Club for speeches from notable activists Huwaida Arraf of the Gree Gaza Movement, Barbara Harvey of the JVP and Hassan Newash of the Palestine office of Michigan.

Dearborn resident Susan Hajhassan was among those who attended the rally. Hajhassan was encouraged by the support of multiple organizations from different parts of Michigan.

“This was finally a step forward, hopefully with these different organizations, we can see better turnouts and more improvements,” she said.

“You can see that this issue is becoming a priority for not just Arabs, but for all Americans.”

Boycott and divestment campaigns were discussed and local hip-hop artists Invincible, Big A and OneBeLo performed.