Viva Palestina US, an American convoy to Gaza led by George Galloway, entered the Gaza Strip on July 15 with approximately $500,000 worth of medical supplies that they donated in Gaza. Members of the convoy, including Neturei Karta representatives, met with Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on July 16.

The American convoy, which consisted of approximately 200 activists, had flown to Cairo from the U.S. on July 4 and began assembling materials and preparing to cross into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing in Egypt. Although organizers had initially intended to cross into Gaza on July 11, the Egyptian authorities delayed the American activists for several days before ultimately allowing the convoy to cross into Gaza on July 15. Members of the convoy were only allowed to visit Gaza for 24 hours.

The Viva Palestina US convoy included several high-profile members of the anti-Israel movement in the U.S. In addition to four Neturei Karta representatives, New York City Councilmember Charles Barron and former United States Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney also participated in the convoy. Both Barron and McKinney have a long record of anti-Israel activity, including regularly attending anti-Israel protests held in the U.S.

The Viva Palestina US campaign had raised more than $1 million to donate to Gaza, more than half of which was used to purchase approximately 47 vehicles. Egyptian authorities allowed the medical supplies to be transported to Gaza but barred the activists from donating the vehicles. The Israeli government has reportedly said that it would allow the vehicles to be donated to Gaza via Israel but Viva Palestina organizers have thus far refused to allow that.

Upon arriving in Gaza, Galloway held an impromptu press conference covered by several international and local media outlets. He said: "We are all here to say that the siege of Gaza must end… because it is a criminal siege which is killing people because of how they voted in a democratic election." When asked if he had a message for the leaders of Arab governments, Galloway stated, "Well, it's a shame, you know, that the Arabs have to live under the governments they live under. But it's a bigger shame that Britain and the United States of America continue to prop up those governments with money and democratic, political and even military support." Barron and McKinney stood alongside Galloway at the press conference.

The following morning, a press conference was held in Gaza featuring a meeting of Haniyeh and the Neturei Karta representatives. Haniyeh reportedly told them that Jews aren't the enemy. "Our problem is with the occupation, that stems from the Zionist ideology and its desire to disperse all the Palestinians." He also said, "We view you as heroes, you are opening the eyes of the world to the siege in the Strip."

Galloway began garnering interest in an American version of Viva Palestina almost immediately after leading the European convoy in March. At a speech in Santa Clara, California, in early April, Galloway said: "All you have to do is raise money, fly to Cairo, rent trucks, buy what they need, put American flags on the trucks, and drive to the border. I already told the Palestinian people I'm asking you…If you don't they'll think you're just like all the rest."

Organizers of Viva Palestina US mobilized quickly, creating a comprehensive Web site with information about the upcoming convoy, application forms, lists of sponsoring and endorsing groups and a calendar of fundraising events. They also created an e-mail listserve to easily communicate information and named Ron Kovic, a Vietnam veteran and longtime antiwar activist, as a co-organizer of the convoy. Kevin Ovenden, a leader of the first convoy and a Galloway spokesperson, was named National Coordinator of Viva Palestina US.