Latest news with #GlobalMarch
Malay Mail
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
March to Gaza halted in Egypt as authorities crack down on activists
CAIRO, June 14 — Egyptian authorities have blocked activists' efforts to hold a march to the Gaza border to draw attention to Israel's blockade of the war-torn Palestinian territory, organisers said Saturday. Several dozen activists hoping to join the planned Global March to Gaza were stopped on the edge of Cairo as they attempted to reach the Suez Canal city of Ismailiya, the organisers said. From there they had hoped to travel on by road to the North Sinai city of El-Arish, the starting point for their planned march to the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing on the Gaza border. Most of the activists were ordered onto buses back to the capital after several hours of questioning, but some remained in custody on Saturday, the organisers said. 'We were blocked for six to seven hours before security forces violently dispersed our group,' one organiser said. At least one activist was expelled from Egypt, several sources said, adding to dozens more denied entry or expelled in the run-up. Egyptian authorities have not commented on the reported expulsions. Activists, heading towards Gaza by land are greeted by Libyans after crossing into Libya from Tunisia. — AFP pic The foreign ministry had warned that while Egypt backs efforts to put 'pressure on Israel' to lift its Gaza blockade, any foreign delegations intending to visit the border area must obtain prior permission. — AFP
Irish Times
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Paul Murphy TD freed by Egyptian authorities
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has been freed by Egyptian authorities following his detention during a global peaceful march to Gaza on Friday. Mr Murphy confirmed in a post on X this morning that he and others were 'finally released late last night at airport'. '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,' he wrote, adding that police still have participants' phones. Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris also confirmed Mr Murphy's release in a statement this morning. READ MORE In a statement, the Tánaiste said he had spoken to Mr Murphy and confirmed his passport was returned to him following his release. Mr Harris said he is 'pleased' that, following work by Irish embassy staff, 'all Irish people who were detained yesterday in Rafah have been released and have had their passports returned'. He said the wellbeing and safety of all Irish citizens abroad is always of concern to him and to the Department of Foreign Affairs. 'I am aware some Irish citizens have not had their phones returned by the authorities and I have asked our embassy to pursue this,' he said. Mr Murphy was detained on Friday afternoon along with a group of people who were travelling through Egypt to reach Rafah on the Global March to Gaza in an effort to get aid to people in the region. People Before Profit–Solidarity TD Paul Murphy at Leinster House with his bag backed ahead of his trip to Cairo where he would attend the 'March to Gaza'. Photograph: Sam Boal/ Collins Photos Meanwhile, Mr Harris said he spoke with Ireland's ambassadors to Israel, Iran and Egypt about escalating tensions in the Middle East. Speaking following these phone calls, the Tánaiste said Ireland's embassy staff are 'safe and well'. 'This is a dangerous moment for the Middle East. I am deeply concerned about the continuing exchange of air attacks between Israel and Iran,' the Tánaiste said. 'I reiterate my call for both sides to urgently de-escalate, to open channels for communication and allow a return to diplomacy. Mr Harris said that continuing military action will not bring security for any of the people of the region. Ireland's embassies are in close contact with members of the Irish community to offer assistance, he said. 'We are also working closely with our European counterparts in relation to the situation that is unfolding.' The Department of Foreign Affairs continues to advise against all travel to Iran and Israel for Irish citizens. 'Irish citizens in the region are advised to be vigilant and to follow the advice of local authorities, including any orders to shelter in place,' the Tánaiste added.
Al Jazeera
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Egypt, Libya stop activists gathering for March to Gaza, organisers say
Authorities in both Egypt and Libya have stopped activists seeking to break Israel's blockade on Gaza, protest organisers have said, with reports of more detentions and deportations taking place. 'Forty participants of the Global March to Gaza have had their passports taken at a checkpoint on the way out of Cairo,' the organisers of the Global March to Gaza said in a statement on Friday. 'They are being held in the heat and not allowed to move,' they continued, adding that another '15 are being held at hotels'. The activists are from France, Spain, Canada, Turkiye and the United Kingdom, it said, adding, 'We are a peaceful movement and we are complying with Egyptian law.' The group urged embassies to help secure their release so they could complete their voyage. Activists arrived in Egypt this week for the Global March to Gaza, a grassroots initiative aiming to pressure Israel to allow the delivery of aid and humanitarian supplies to Gaza's starving population. Organisers said that participants from 80 countries were set to begin their march towards Egypt's Rafah crossing with Gaza, with about 4,000 activists expected to take part. The overland protest was to coincide with other solidarity efforts, including a boat carrying aid and activists that was intercepted by the Israeli military earlier this week as it attempted to reach Gaza. According to plans outlined by organisers, participants were to travel by bus to El Arish, a city in the heavily securitised Sinai Peninsula, before walking the final 50km (30 miles) to Rafah. Protesters intended to camp near the border before returning to Cairo on June 19. However, Egyptian police stopped several groups of foreign nationals en route, forcing vehicles to pull over roughly 30km (20 miles) from Ismailia, just outside the Sinai. Activists said police ordered passengers with non-Egyptian passports to disembark, blocking their passage to Rafah. Paul Murphy, an independent Irish member of parliament, who has travelled to Egypt to take part, said in a post on X, 'We have had our passports confiscated and are being detained. It seems Egyptian authorities have decided to crack down on the Great March To Gaza.' Security sources told the Reuters news agency that at least 88 individuals had been detained or deported from Cairo airport and other locations across the country. Three airport sources told Reuters that at least 73 foreign nationals were deported on a flight to Istanbul for violating entry protocols, with about 100 more still awaiting deportation at the airport. Officials at Cairo International Airport said new directives were issued to airlines requiring all passengers travelling to Egypt between June 12 and 16 to hold confirmed return tickets, Reuters reported. Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that any visits to the Rafah border area must be coordinated in advance with Egyptian embassies or official bodies, citing security concerns in the Sinai. Organisers of the march maintain they coordinated the trip with authorities and called on the government to release those detained. Separately, a land convoy known as 'Soumoud', which had departed Tunisia carrying activists from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania, was stopped on Friday morning at the entrance to Sirte, a city in Libya under the control of forces loyal to military commander Khalifa Haftar. 'The caravan was barred from passing through at the entrance to the city of Sirte,' Tunisian organiser Wael Naouar said in a video posted on Facebook. Naouar said the convoy needs Egyptian authorisation to reach Gaza but had received mixed messages from local security officials. 'Some told us we could cross in a few hours. Others insisted that 'Egypt has denied [passage] and therefore you will not pass,'' he said. On Wednesday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant ordered the military to block demonstrators from entering Gaza from Egypt, claiming people involved were 'jihadist protesters'. 'I expect the Egyptian authorities to prevent them from reaching the Egypt-Israel border and not allow them to carry out provocations and try to enter Gaza,' he added. It comes as Israel continues its relentless air strikes on Gaza, while severely restricting the flow of aid, including food, water, and medical supplies, as humanitarian experts warn that the enclave could fall into full-scale famine unless Israel lifts the blockade.
Arab News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Why Egypt blocked the Global March to Gaza
Thousands of activists arrived in Egypt in early June on a mission to march from North Sinai to the Rafah border crossing, demanding an end to Israel's blockade on Gaza and the delivery of humanitarian aid. The Global March to Gaza brought together participants from over 40 countries, including the US, European nations, and North African states in a striking display of solidarity with the Palestinian people. But as the convoy advanced toward Egypt's eastern frontier, it was met with a firm response. Dozens of foreign activists were detained upon arrival in Cairo, questioned at airports, and in many cases deported before the march could even begin. Some critics saw this reaction as incompatible with Egypt's long-standing support for the Palestinian cause. But this interpretation oversimplifies a complex reality. Egypt's stance was neither a rejection of Gaza nor a withdrawal of support. It was a reaffirmation that solidarity must operate within the framework of state sovereignty, national security, and the rule of law. The area surrounding Rafah is not ordinary terrain. It lies within the Sinai Peninsula, where there has been years of terrorism and military operations. For over a decade, Egyptian forces have fought extremist terrorist groups there, and the region remains under heightened military alert. In such a context, the presence of thousands of foreign demonstrators, however peaceful their purpose, posed a tangible risk. Unregulated gatherings near a militarized border could become targets for violence, be exploited by hostile actors, or unintentionally trigger confrontation. Egyptian authorities were clear: they reserve the right to regulate the movement of individuals within their territory, especially in sensitive areas. On the eve of the planned march, the Foreign Ministry affirmed Egypt's right to take all necessary measures to safeguard national security. The message was unambiguous: expressions of international solidarity are welcome, but not at the expense of Egypt's stability or sovereignty. Cairo's approach must be understood in light of its consistent position on Gaza. Egypt has played a leading role in facilitating aid, diplomacy, and humanitarian coordination since the current conflict began. It was among the first Arab states to call for a ceasefire and for expanded access for humanitarian assistance. When Rafah was open, Egypt facilitated the passage of medical aid and evacuees through its side of the border. The Egyptian Red Crescent has been the key operator of relief supplies. It is Israel's closure of the Gaza side of the crossing that has prevented the steady flow of aid, not any failure on Egypt's part. Nevertheless, Egypt insists that any form of engagement near its borders must follow legal and administrative procedures. Foreign delegations must obtain authorization to access areas such as Rafah. Mass protests in a restricted military zone, however well-intentioned, are not seen as legitimate means of pressure. This is not an attempt to suppress activism, but to preserve a functional and secure border in a volatile environment. Egypt's position would probably be echoed by any sovereign nation under similar conditions. At the heart of this stance lies a critical truth: Egypt rejects any implication that it should assume responsibility for Gaza's fate, especially if that means opening its territory to mass displacement. Cairo has consistently resisted proposals that could turn Sinai into a refuge for Palestinians fleeing Israeli aggression. The concern is not driven by a lack of empathy, but by a strategic imperative to prevent demographic shifts that might absolve Israel of its legal obligations to the Palestinian population. Egypt supports Gaza's people not by dismantling borders, but by defending the principle that they belong in their homeland, with their rights intact. From Egypt's perspective, the symbolic act of marching on Rafah misses a key point: the power to open or close the crossing lies with Israel. Since May 2024, Israeli forces have sealed the Gaza side of Rafah, preventing not only aid deliveries but also the exit of injured civilians and medical teams. In this context, Egypt sees mass mobilization at its own gate as misdirected. No amount of protest on the Egyptian side can physically unlock a door shut by the Israeli military. The energy of international solidarity, Egypt argues, would be better spent lobbying the governments of the world to pressure Israel directly to end the blockade. The situation presents Egypt with a difficult balancing act. On one hand, it faces pressure from global civil society, humanitarian organizations and a sympathetic public outraged by Gaza's suffering. On the other, it must navigate the demands of regional stability, Israeli sensitivities, and Western diplomatic concerns. Days before the scheduled demonstration, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called publicly on Egypt to stop the marchers, branding them 'jihadists' and warning of threats to Israeli forces. Western governments, too, entered into quiet conversations with Cairo. France, for instance, contacted Egyptian officials regarding detained nationals, implicitly recognizing Egypt's right to enforce laws on its territory. In the end, the gathering was halted, not out of hostility to Gaza, but in defense of national order and legal responsibility. Egypt's response underscores a broader principle: the state is not governed by emotion alone, but by a rational balance of values, security, and sovereignty. Cairo's actions do not represent a retreat from supporting Gaza. Rather, they reflect an effort to channel that support in ways that preserve regional stability and protect the state's role as a responsible actor. What Egypt seeks now, and what the international solidarity movement must consider, is cooperation, not confrontation. The shared goals remain: ending the siege of Gaza, delivering aid, and securing justice for the Palestinian people. But to achieve this, engagement must be structured, lawful, and politically intelligent. Solidarity must remain strong, but also mature — anchored in realism, not spectacle; coordination, not disruption. In today's fraught geopolitical climate, working with Egypt, not against it, may be the surest path to meaningful impact. • Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy has covered conflicts worldwide. X: @ALMenawy
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Activists stopped in Libya and Egypt ahead of planned march on Gaza
A planned march protesting aid restrictions on Gaza faced uncertainty Friday, as organizers in Cairo awaited Egyptian approval and Libyan authorities blocked a convoy of activists en route. Activists from 80 countries planned to march to Egypt's border with Gaza to spotlight the deepening humanitarian crises facing Palestinians since Israel began blocking aid trucks from entering the coastal enclave in March. It slightly eased restrictions last month, allowing limited aid in, but experts warn the measures fall far short. The Global March on Gaza was slated to be among the largest demonstrations of its kind in recent years, coinciding with other efforts including a boat carrying activists and aid that was intercepted by Israel's military en route to Gaza earlier this week. Activists detained in Egypt Organizers said hundreds arriving in Cairo had been detained and deported to their home countries in Europe and North Africa. They said they planned to gather at a campsite outside of Cairo on Friday to prepare for the Sunday march, noting that authorities had not yet granted them authorization to travel through the Sinai, which Egypt considers a highly sensitive area. 'We continue to urge the Egyptian government to permit this peaceful march, which aligns with Egypt's own stated commitment to restoring stability at its border and addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza,' they said in a statement. Hicham El-Ghaoui, one of the group's spokespeople, said the group would refrain from demonstrating until receiving clarity on whether Egypt will authorize their protest. The planned demonstrations cast an uncomfortable spotlight on Egypt, one of the Arab countries that has cracked down on pro-Palestinian activists even as it publicly condemns aid restrictions and calls for an end to the war. The government, a major recipient of U.S. military aid that maintains ties with Israel, has arrested and charged 186 activists with threatening state security since the war began, according to a June tally by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. Many of them said they were protesting peacefully and collecting donations for Gaza. Still, the severity of the crackdown surprised European activists. Antonietta Chiodo, who traveled to Cairo from Italy, said those awaiting further instruction had been detained, interrogated, treated harshly by Egyptian authorities or deported. Alexis Deswaef, a Belgian human rights lawyer, said he woke up on Friday to dozens of security vehicles packed with uniformed officers surrounding Talat Harb Square, where he and other activists had found hotels. Members of his group snuck out of the lobby as security entered, holding up a guidebook and asking an officer for assistance booking taxis to the Pyramids of Giza, where they've been since. 'I am so surprised to see the Egyptians doing the dirty work of Israel,' he said from the Pyramids. He hoped there would be too many activists at the new meeting point outside Cairo on the road to Gaza for Egyptian authorities to arrest en masse. In a divided Libya, Egypt-backed authorities stop a convoy Meanwhile, an aid convoy traveling overland from Algeria picked up new participants along the route in Tunisia and Libya yet was stopped in the city of Sirte, about 940 kilometers (585 miles) from the Libya-Egypt border. Organizers of the overland convoy said late Thursday night that they had been stopped by authorities governing eastern Libya, which has for years been divided between dueling factions. The convoy was allowed to cross from Tunisia to Libya but halted near the front line where territory shifts to a rival administration whose backers include Egypt. The Benghazi-based government in a statement urged activists to 'engage in proper coordination with the official Libyan authorities through legal and diplomatic channels to ensure the safety of all participants and uphold the principles of solidarity with the Palestinian people.' It said they should return to their home countries and cited Egypt's public statements that marchers had not been granted authorization. Organizers leading the overland convoy said authorities had allowed them to camp in Sirte and await further approval. Their group, which includes thousands of participants, had already traversed parts of Algeria, Tunisia and the western Libyan cities of Tripoli and Misrata. They 'called on all relevant parties to intervene and help facilitate the mission of our convoy." The efforts — the activist flotilla, the overland convoy and the planned march — come as international outcry grows over conditions in Gaza. As part of a campaign to pressure Hamas to disarm and release hostages, Israel has continued to pummel the territory with airstrikes while limiting the flow of trucks carrying food, water and medication that can enter. The U.N. has said the vast majority of the population relies on humanitarian aid to survive and experts have warned the coastal enclave will likely fall into famine if Israel doesn't lift its blockade and stop its military campaign. Over U.N. objections, a U.S.-backed group has taken control of the limited aid entering Gaza. But as desperate Palestinians crowd its distribution sites, chaos has erupted and almost 200 people have been killed near aid sites. Nearly half a million Palestinians are on the brink of possible starvation, and 1 million others can barely get enough food, according to findings by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a leading international authority. Israel has rejected the findings, saying the IPC's previous forecasts had proven unfounded. __ McNeil reported from Barcelona. Youssef Murad contributed reporting from Tripoli, Libya.
