(28 Aug 2008)
1. Wide of boats docked near the harbour
2. Mid of fishermen on their boat
3. Various of boats from the "Free Gaza" organisation docked
4. Activists from the "Free Gaza" organisation boarding their boats
5. Ismail Haniyeh, Prime Minister of the Hamas government arriving at the harbour, surrounded by media and other officials
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas leader in Gaza:
"We (Hamas) consider your arrival and departure through the shores of Gaza beach a victory for the human will and a victory for justice."
7. Various of Haniyeh handing out Palestinian diplomatic passports to activists from the "Free Gaza" organisation
8. Palestinian teenager, who became an amputee after violence in the region, arriving in a wheelchair
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Saed Maslah, 16-year-old Palestinian amputee:
" There are a lot of injured kids like me and a lot of them need medical treatment outside (of Gaza), we hope that all the Arab countries will strongly stand by and break the siege as this foreign group has."
10. Tilt up of Maslah in his wheelchair
11. Various of a member from the "Free Gaza" organisation writing in notebook
12. Various of people near the waterfront, including Maslah
13. Close of Maslah
15. Various of activists' boats leaving the harbour with banner attached to one of the boats reading ( in English) " End Occupation," crew members waving, Palestinian and Israeli flags on boat
STORYLINE:
A human rights group said two boats departed for Cyprus from Gaza on Thursday, carrying dozens of international activists who defied Israel's blockade of the coastal strip.
Activists said seven Palestinians, including five children, were also on board.
As the boats left the harbour, the activists were seen waving Israeli and Palestinian flags.
It's unclear if the Israeli military will attempt to stop the boats.
Earlier, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas leader in Gaza went to the harbour and issued diplomatic passports to members of the "Free Gaza" organisation.
"We (Hamas) consider your arrival and departure through the shores of Gaza beach a victory for the human will and a victory for justice," he told the crowd.
The activists sailed into Gaza last weekend to protest against Israel's blockade, imposed after Hamas took control there last year.
Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers have observed a cease-fire since mid-June.
But Gaza's borders remain largely sealed, causing severe economic duress to its impoverished populace
An Israeli government official had no comment shortly before the boats left Thursday.
The Palestinians on board included a 16-year-old amputee, who hopes to be fitted with an artificial leg abroad.
The teenager, Saed Maslah said there were many more children like him that needed to travel outside of Gaza to receive specialist medical treatment and he hoped that Arab countries would allow the "Free Gaza" organisation into their borders.
Israel imposed its blockade in June 2007 after Hamas violently seized power in Gaza.
Under the blockade, Israel has closed its trade crossings with the territory, while neighbouring Egypt sealed its passenger crossing, confining Gaza's 1.4 (m) million residents.
Israel has allowed little more than basic humanitarian supplies into Gaza, causing widespread shortages of fuel, electricity and basic goods.
Only a trickle of people are allowed to leave Gaza for medical care, jobs abroad and the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

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