Egyptian authorities have detained and deported hundreds of international activists aiming to participate in the Global March to Gaza, a peaceful mobilisation intended to demand an end to Israel’s blockade and the opening of humanitarian corridors into the besieged territory. The crackdown occurred as thousands of participants from over 80 countries began converging in Egypt for the event, scheduled to run from 13 to 20 June.
On Thursday, more than 200 participants were detained at Cairo International Airport and in hotels across the city. Over 73 foreign nationals, mainly with European passports, were deported on a flight to Istanbul, with around 100 others awaiting a similar fate. An Egyptian official, speaking anonymously, stated the activists lacked the necessary authorisations to travel to Northern Sinai.
The march’s organisers, a coalition including the Palestinian Youth Movement and CodePink, insist they followed all required protocols and coordinated with Egyptian embassies. Saif Abukeshek, a spokesperson for the march, confirmed that despite the detentions, the group remains committed to proceeding. “We look forward to providing any additional information the Egyptian authorities require to ensure the march continues peacefully as planned to the Rafah border,” organisers said in a statement.
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International Response and Obstacles
The detentions have been met with condemnation from various international groups. La Via Campesina, a global peasant movement, denounced the “systematic repression by Egyptian authorities” and held the government “fully responsible — politically, legally, and morally — for the safety and freedom of all participants.” A group of Greek activists reported that dozens from their contingent were detained at the airport “despite having all legal travel documents, having broken no law, and following every legal procedure in entering the country.”
The Global March to Gaza is not the only solidarity effort facing obstruction. The Soumoud Convoy, an overland aid mission from Tunisia, has been halted in eastern Libya by authorities in Benghazi. Concurrently, Israeli naval forces seized the MV Madaleen, an aid vessel carrying activists including Greta Thunberg, in international waters earlier in the week.
The Egyptian foreign ministry has defended its actions, citing national security concerns. “Egypt holds the right to take all necessary measures to preserve its national security, including the regulation of the entry and movement of individuals within its territory, especially in sensitive border areas,” the ministry stated.
The Global March to Gaza aims to be a “moral reckoning,” with participants, including former South African lawmaker Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, planning to walk approximately 50 kilometres from Al-Arish to the Rafah border. The goal is to establish a protest encampment to apply “international moral and media pressure” to open the crossing for humanitarian aid, which the United Nations reports is desperately needed to avert famine.
