A boat loaded with protesters has arrived in the Gaza Strip to bring attention to Israel's blockade of the Hamas-controlled territory.

The 27 passengers include Irish Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead McGuire. They are scheduled to remain in Gaza for four days.

The boat chartered by the U.S.-based group called Free Gaza sailed from the nearby island of Cyprus on Tuesday and arrived in Gaza in pouring rain early Wednesday. Israel had said it would block the boat, but navy ships did not interfere.

Israel imposed a blockade of Gaza after the Islamic group Hamas violently seized control of the territory in June 2006. Israel tightened the sanctions because of rocket fire at Israeli towns.