Activists heading to Gaza by land in an effort to break the siege of the Palestinian territory are welcomed by Libyans at Martyrs' Square in Tripoli on June 11, 2025, a day after crossing the Tunisian border into Libya. (Credit: Mahmud Turkia/AFP)
An action by the Global March to Gaza collective was thwarted by Egyptian authorities, who blocked several dozen pro-Palestinian activists in the outskirts of Cairo for several hours before releasing some of them, organizers said on Sunday. Others remain in custody, according to the same source.
Several groups had left Cairo by car on Friday, heading toward the city of Ismailia — the first stop on their way to the Gaza Strip, their final destination. They were intercepted and blocked, had their passports confiscated, and in some cases were manhandled before being forcibly placed on buses, according to videos shared on social media or sent to AFP.
"We were blocked for six to seven hours before the security forces violently dispersed the group," reported one organizer. "There were many rumors circulating on social media claiming we intended to create unrest in the capital," said Seif Abu Kishk, one of the organizers of the Global March to Gaza.
Dozens of participants have been turned back or deported in recent days. Egyptian authorities have not commented on the arrests or deportations.
The Global March had planned to cross the Sinai Desert by bus — a region under heavy military surveillance — to reach the city of al-Arish, about 350 kilometers east of Cairo, and then walk the remaining 50 kilometers to the Egyptian side of Rafah. Abu Kishk noted that the march included several public figures, including foreign parliamentarians and the grandson of Nelson Mandela.
Despite the negative signals from the authorities, the leaders of the collective emphasized that "their goal remains Gaza" and that they intend to continue "acting peacefully."
In neighboring Libya, the 'Soumoud' convoy — which organizers say includes around a thousand participants from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania — has been blocked since Friday morning at the entrance to the Libyan city of Sirte, which is under the control of Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s forces, who hold power in eastern Libya.
An action by the Global March to Gaza collective was thwarted by Egyptian authorities, who blocked several dozen pro-Palestinian activists in the outskirts of Cairo for several hours before releasing some of them, organizers said on Sunday. Others remain in custody, according to the same source.Several groups had left Cairo by car on Friday, heading toward the city of Ismailia — the first stop on their way to the Gaza Strip, their final destination. They were intercepted and blocked, had their passports confiscated, and in some cases were manhandled before being forcibly placed on buses, according to videos shared on social media or sent to AFP."We were blocked for six to seven hours before the security forces violently dispersed the group," reported one organizer. "There were many rumors circulating on social media...
