Latest news with #JointActionCoordinationCommitteeforPalestine
France 24
6 hours ago
- Politics
- France 24
Gaza-bound activist convoy retreats to Misrata after being blocked in east Libya
Pro-Palestinian activists on a march aiming to break Israel's Gaza blockade have retreated to the Misrata region of western Libya after being blocked by the authorities in the country's east, organisers said Sunday. The "Soumoud" convoy – meaning steadfastness in Arabic – decided to fall back to near Misrata, about 200 kilometres (124 miles) east of Tripoli, after being stopped by the eastern authorities. Misrata is administered by the UN-recognised Government of National Unity based in Tripoli, while the east is controlled by military commander Khalifa Haftar. The convoy of more than 1,000 people from Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia had been under a "military blockade" since Friday at the entrance to Sirte, a Haftar-controlled area. 01:40 Organisers said they were subjected to a "systematic siege", with no access to food, water or medicine and communications severely disrupted. They also denounced the arrest of several convoy members, including at least three bloggers who had been documenting its journey since its departure from Tunisia on June 9. In a statement cited by Tunisia's La Presse newspaper, the Joint Action Coordination Committee for Palestine – the group behind the convoy – demanded the immediate release of 13 participants still held by eastern Libyan authorities. In an accompanying video, it reaffirmed its intention to continue the mission to Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt, with the aim of "breaking the blockade and ending the genocide of the Palestinian people resisting in Gaza". In Egypt, a separate initiative – the Global March to Gaza, intended to bring together participants from 80 countries – was halted on Friday by authorities en route to the city of Ismailia, east of Cairo. Dozens of activists were intercepted, reportedly beaten, had passports confiscated, and were forcibly loaded onto buses by police at multiple checkpoints, according to videos shared on social media and with AFP.
The Journal
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Gaza marchers aiming to break Israel's blockade retreat to west Libya after being blocked
PRO-PALESTINIAN ACTIVISTS ON a march aiming to break Israel's Gaza blockade have retreated to the Misrata region of western Libya after being blocked by the authorities in the country's east, organisers said Sunday. The 'Soumoud' convoy – meaning steadfastness in Arabic – decided to fall back to near Misrata, about 200 kilometres east of Tripoli, after being stopped by the eastern authorities. Misrata is administered by the UN-recognised Government of National Unity based in Tripoli, while the east is controlled by military commander Khalifa Haftar. The convoy of more than 1,000 people from Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia had been under a 'military blockade' since Friday at the entrance to Sirte, a Haftar-controlled area. Organisers said they were subjected to a 'systematic siege', with no access to food, water or medicine and communications severely disrupted. They also denounced the arrest of several convoy members, including at least three bloggers who had been documenting its journey since its departure from Tunisia on 9 June. Advertisement In a statement cited by Tunisia's La Presse newspaper, the Joint Action Coordination Committee for Palestine – the group behind the convoy – demanded the immediate release of 13 participants still held by eastern Libyan authorities. In an accompanying video, it reaffirmed its intention to continue the mission to Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt, with the aim of 'breaking the blockade and ending the genocide of the Palestinian people resisting in Gaza'. In Egypt, a separate initiative - the Global March to Gaza, intended to bring together participants from 80 countries – was halted on Friday by authorities en route to the city of Ismailia, east of Cairo. Dozens of activists were intercepted, reportedly beaten, had passports confiscated, and were forcibly loaded onto buses by police at multiple checkpoints. Irish TD Paul Murphy was detained by Egyptian authorities and had his passport ad phone confiscated alongside other activists. He was subsequently released and told The Journal yesterday evening that he and the group he is marching with have been discussing their options and intend to proceed with the march to whatever extent is possible. Includes reporting by Emma Hickey
Middle East Eye
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Soumoud Caravan retreats to Misrata area in Libya
A solidarity caravan for Gaza that set off from Tunisia has retreated near Misrata in western Libya after being blocked by eastern Libyan authorities, who arrested 13 participants, organisers said Sunday. The Soumoud Caravan, meaning "resistance" in Arabic, had planned to cross Libya en route to the Rafah border with Gaza. But its progress was halted near Sirte, a city under the control of forces loyal to Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, whose rival government is based in Benghazi. Organisers said the convoy, made up of over a thousand Tunisians, Algerians, Moroccans, and Mauritanians, was placed under a military blockade on Friday. Participants were denied access to food, water, and medicine, and communications were disrupted. At least three bloggers documenting the journey, Tunisian Ala Ben Amara and Algerians Bilal Ourtani and Zidane Nezar, were among those arrested, according to Algerian researcher Raouf Farrah. The Joint Action Coordination Committee for Palestine called for the immediate release of all 13 detainees and vowed to continue toward Rafah to "break the blockade and end the genocide of the resilient Palestinian people in Gaza".
