Egyptian authorities have detained and deported dozens of pro-Palestinian activists planning to participate in a march to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza. The activists, from around the world, had been planning to trek to Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with the Palestinian territory on Friday as part of the Global March to Gaza, demanding the entry of humanitarian aid into the blockaded territory.
According to reports, at least 73 foreign nationals were deported on a flight to Istanbul on Thursday, with 100 more at the airport awaiting deportation. An Egyptian official stated that authorities had deported more than three dozen activists, most holding European passports, on arrival at Cairo International Airport in the past two days, for intending to travel to Northern Sinai “without obtaining required authorisations”.
Saif Abukeshek, spokesperson for the Global March to Gaza, said more than 200 activists had been detained at Cairo airport or questioned at hotels in the city. “After interrogations, some were arrested and others were released,” he added. Those detained included nationals from the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Algeria, and Morocco. A group of Greek activists claimed dozens of their contingent were detained at Cairo airport despite having all necessary documents.
The march organizers stated they had followed Egyptian government guidelines and would proceed with the march as planned. “We look forward to providing any additional information the Egyptian authorities require to ensure the march continues peacefully as planned to the Rafah border,” the statement read. Abukeshek emphasized the group’s determination, saying, “The march will go ahead as planned”.
The march aims to create international moral and media pressure to open the border crossing at Rafah and lift the aid blockade on Gaza, which the United Nations has described as “the hungriest place on Earth”. Israel imposed a total blockade in March, killing over 55,000 Palestinians, and allowing limited aid to flow last month, but distribution has been plagued with problems.