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Minnesotans heading to Gaza to help deliver food, water, medical supplies

Coleen Rowley and Barry Riesch will be joining hundreds of volunteers from across the world on the humanitarian aid mission.

MINNESOTA, USA — For the last six months, the world has watched the war in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas. For a former FBI agent and veteran in Minnesota, it got to be too much. 

"I told people that I can't help but seeing the faces of my own grandchildren in the faces of these poor Gaza children that are being starved and murdered," Coleen Rowley, an activist from Women Against Military Madness said. 

Rowley had a career working for the FBI and spent extensive time studying international relations. She's felt an urge to step in and help get humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza. 

She's not alone. Veteran Barry Riesch is joining her on an upcoming mission to the Middle East. 

"I have grandbabies, you know. I say I am doing this for them. this is not the world I want them to grow up in," Riesch said. 

They left Minneapolis on Wednesday and do not want to publicly share specifics on their travel plans but mention they will be sailing through the Mediterranean Sea to get to Gaza. They run the risk of being in the warzone but believe all the proper notifications and inspections have been cleared to bring in humanitarian aid.

Freedom Flotilla Coalition is the organization that put together this mission to bring in aid. They're bringing food, water, and medical supplies. Doctors in Gaza told the Freedom Flotilla Coalition that they're low on anesthesia. 

"Well, what's worse, six months of watching this unfold or not doing anything," Rowley said. 

Both Rowley and Riesch notified Minnesota legislators of their travel plans in case something goes awry. 

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