12-06-2025
Irish citizens among activists detained in Egypt after arriving for march to Gaza border
EGYPTIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE detained more than 200 people who arrived in the country ahead of a planned peaceful march to the Rafah crossing on the border with Palestine, according to the march's spokesperson.
Asked if there were Irish citizens among those detained, the Department of Foreign Affairs told
The Journal
it 'has been contacted by a small number of Irish citizens and is providing consular assistance'.
Demonstrators from around the world have been arriving in Cairo this week, with dozens of Irish people among them.
'Over 200 participants were detained at Cairo airport or questioned at hotels across Cairo,' the march's spokesperson Saif Abukeshek told the AFP news agency, adding that those detained included nationals from the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Morocco and Algeria.
People Before Profit TD also plans to join the march and told RTÉ Radio this morning that the demonstrators have no intention of trying to enter Gaza.
He described the demonstrators as people 'trying to do everything we can to highlight the absolute horror faced by the people of Gaza'.
'The aid must be allowed to enter and Israel must stop using starvation as a weapon of war. The blockade must be lifted and the genocide halted,' Murphy said in a statement yesterday.
Meanwhile, a convoy that left Tunisia on Monday is making its way to Egypt to join the march, crossing through the divided and war-torn Libya.
Following Israeli war minister's orders, Egyptian authorities directed its security services to block the International March to Break Gaza Siege from entering the country!
Thousands taking part in the March, which has been launched from Tunisia, are planning to walk through…
— Global March To Gaza (@globalmarchgaza)
June 12, 2025
According to the Global March to Gaza
website
, participants plan to gather in Cairo tomorrow before travelling by bus the following day to Al Arish, where they will begin their 48km march to the besieged Palestinian territory to the north of Egypt's Sinai region.
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'Over the course of 2–3 days, we'll walk in solidarity toward Rafah,' the website says.
The demonstrators have said they do not plan to try and enter Gaza and will camp at the border for three days before returning to Cairo on 19 June.
Israel had asked Egyptian authorities to prevent people from making the march.
'I expect the Egyptian authorities to prevent the arrival of jihadist protesters at the Egypt-Israel border and not to allow them to carry out provocations or attempt to enter Gaza,' Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
Katz added that such actions 'would endanger the safety of (Israeli) soldiers and will not be allowed'.
Egypt said on Wednesday that it supports efforts to put 'pressure on Israel' to lift its blockade of Gaza, but added that any foreign delegations seeking to visit the border area must receive prior approval through official channels.
Speaking this morning, Paul Murphy said the march aims to pressure Israel into lifting its blockade on Gaza, but also put 'pressure on our own governments'.
'I mean, these are peaceful Palestine solidarity protests. We have clear guidelines on what we're doing.
'We're not trying to forcibly break through into Gaza or anything like that. It is a peaceful demonstration.
'Unfortunately, this morning, we're hearing reports of people being detained at the airport, and I think at least two Irish citizens have been detained by Egyptian authorities.'
With reporting from AFP
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