a day ago
TD Paul Murphy and other Irish activists released from detention in Egypt
PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT TD Paul Murphy has been released from detention in Egypt after he and several others were detained while trying to cross Egypt to reach the start point of the March for Gaza.
Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris has also confirmed that there are no Irish citizens currently in detention in Egypt relating to the march to Rafah.
Thousands of people have travelled to Egypt to hold demonstrations at its border with Palestine, but authorities have detained hundreds of people who arrived for the march in recent days.
Murphy and others travelling alongside him were detained by Egyptian authorities
yesterday
.
In an update on social media this morning, Murphy said the group were released at Cairo airport 'late last night at airport'. He said the police still the group's phones.
We were finally released late last night at airport. Police still have our phones.
We are back in Cairo and meeting shortly to decide next steps. We're focused on Israel's genocide and starvation of Gaza. Thanks for your support. Free Palestine 🇵🇸 🇵🇸🇵🇸
#GlobalMarchToGaza
— Paul Murphy 🇵🇸 (@paulmurphy_TD)
June 14, 2025
'We are back in Cairo and meeting shortly to decide next steps. We're focused on Israel's genocide and starvation of Gaza. Thanks for your support,' he said.
Simon Harris this morning said that he had spoken to the Irish embassy in Egypt.
'I am pleased that following the work of our Embassy staff, all Irish people who were detained yesterday in Rafah have been released and have had their passports returned,' the Tánaiste said.
'I spoke directly to Deputy Murphy to confirm he and other Irish people have been released from detention, had their passports returned and were receiving consular assistance.'
Harris said the wellbeing and safety of all Irish citizens abroad 'is always of concern to me and to my Department'
'I am aware some Irish citizens have not had their phones returned by the authorities and I have asked our embassy to pursue this.'
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People Before Profit councillor Jess Spear, who is Murphy's partner, said she was relieved to hear that he and the others in his group have been released.
'However, they still want to reach Rafah to try and get humanitarian aid into Gaza. That has been the sole purpose of being in Egypt,' she said.
'Paul has appealed to Tánaiste Simon Harris to put pressure on the Egyptian authorities to let the marchers reach Rafah.
'The situation of the people of Gaza worsens by the day as they suffer starvation imposed by Israel. We need to get humanitarian aid to them as quickly as possible'.
Participants who have arrived in Cairo are travelling by car and bus to the Egyptian city of Al Arish in the north of the Sinai peninsula, where they will begin a 48km march to the Egyptian side of the Gaza border near Rafah.
Several dozen Irish activists are among the thousands who have travelled to Egypt for the March.
Social Democrats councillor Mick Barry, who has also travelled to Egypt, told
The Journal
yesterday that he was aware of around 47 Irish delegates having flown to Egypt, of whom at least 35 successfully got through the airport in Cairo.
'We got into Cairo yesterday. It was quite difficult to get through the airport for some people,' he said.
A spokesperson for the Social Democrats later said that Barry was 'turned around at a checkpoint in Ismailia but was not detained'.
Israel has pressured Egyptian authorities to prevent participants from reaching the border with Gaza.
Participants in the Global March to Gaza are aiming to arrive at the border on Sunday and camp there before returning to Cairo by next Thursday.
Organisers say their goal is 'absolutely not' to try to forcibly enter Gaza but to try to negotiate the opening of the Rafah terminal with Egyptian authorities to deliver humanitarian aid – but Egypt has been creating hurdles for the movement.
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