Egyptian officials have taken into custody over 200 activists supporting Palestine in Cairo, according to organizers, ahead of a global demonstration aimed at challenging Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
The event, known as the Global March to Gaza, was set to bring thousands of protesters to Egypt’s Rafah border crossing on Friday to call for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
On Thursday, march spokesperson Saif Abukeshek informed AFP that more than 200 participants had been detained at Cairo’s airport or questioned in various hotels across the city. He noted that those held included citizens from the U.S., Australia, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Morocco, and Algeria.
Abukeshek stated that undercover police officers entered multiple hotels in Cairo on Wednesday with lists of names, interrogated activists, and in some cases seized phones and inspected personal items.
“Some were arrested after questioning, while others were let go,” he added.
At the airport, some detainees were held for extended periods without explanation, and others were deported, though exact figures were not provided. Abukeshek mentioned that a group of 20 French activists, intending to join the protest, were detained at the airport for 18 hours. “This was completely unexpected,” he said.
Videos obtained by AFP showed dozens of people crowded into a holding area at the airport with their luggage. A German national in one recording said, “We’re stuck in this room with around 30 to 40 people. I contacted my embassy, and they’re trying to resolve the situation.”
A Greek delegation released a statement saying that many of their citizens were also detained at the airport despite having valid travel documents and following all legal entry procedures.
Cairo’s security officials did not comment when approached by AFP.
Mounting International Pressure
After 21 months of war, Israel faces growing global demands to allow more aid into Gaza, which the UN has described as suffering from extreme hunger.
A separate aid convoy named Soumoud (Arabic for “steadfastness”) departed from Tunisia on Monday, hoping to travel through Libya and Egypt—though organizers say Egypt has not yet granted passage permits—to reach Gaza.
The Global March to Gaza, collaborating with Soumoud, reported that roughly 4,000 participants from over 40 countries were expected to join, with many already in Egypt ahead of Friday’s demonstration.
The plan involved activists traveling by bus to El-Arish in the heavily guarded Sinai Peninsula before walking 50 kilometers (30 miles) toward the Gaza border. They intended to camp there before returning to Cairo on June 19.
Israel has urged Egyptian authorities to “stop jihadist protesters from reaching the Egypt-Israel border,” with Defense Minister Israel Katz warning that such actions “threaten soldier safety and will not be permitted.”
Egypt’s foreign ministry responded by affirming its support for efforts to “pressure Israel” but stressed that foreign delegations must obtain official approval before visiting border zones.
Abukeshek vowed, “We will move forward despite these obstacles—the number of participants already in Egypt and those arriving is sufficient to carry out the march.”