a day ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Global March to Gaza activists report delays, deportations at Cairo Airport
Organizers of the Global March to Gaza announced Thursday that approximately 170 activists slated to participate 'faced delays and deportations at Cairo Airport in Egypt.'
The movement, which states its aim is to 'break the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip,' released an online statement saying, 'approximately 170 people are facing delays and deportations at Cairo Airport,' and that the movement's legal team is addressing the issues.
'We have all complied with all legal requirements of the Egyptian authorities,' the statement asserted. CNN reached out to the Egyptian Foreign Media Press Center and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment on these claims.
In a video shared by the march's Canadian delegation with CNN, a significant number of Egyptian police officers were visible on the tarmac as Canadian activists disembarked the plane. One man was seen exiting the aircraft holding a scarf bearing the Palestinian flag. In another video filmed inside the plane, activists could be heard chanting 'Free Palestine.'
Organizers anticipate around 4,000 volunteers from 80 countries will join the march from Cairo to the Rafah crossing this week. This comes as Israel's war on Gaza enters its 21st month, and aid restrictions push the Strip to the brink of famine.
Despite border complexities, the movement's organizers expressed a desire to cooperate with Egypt, reaffirming their commitment to the march.
'We want to clarify that the Global March is ongoing, and thousands of march participants are already in Egypt, ready to begin the journey to Al-Arish on Friday, and then continue walking to Rafah, where we hope to arrive on Sunday,' the statement read. 'We hope to be able to work hand-in-hand with the Egyptian government as a key and valuable partner,' the statement added.
Among the march participants are Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, a former South African Member of Parliament and grandson of Nelson Mandela, and Hala Rharrit, a former U.S. State Department diplomat who resigned from her government position during the Biden administration due to Washington's handling of the Gaza war.
Organizers of the 'Global March to Gaza' confirmed they had contacted Egyptian authorities, informed them of their plans, and requested cooperation and protection, but had not received any response.
Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a statement that activists intending to visit its territory, particularly the Gaza border area, must secure prior permits before arriving in Cairo.
Egypt emphasized the critical need to adhere to these established regulatory procedures, asserting their vital role in ensuring the safety of visiting delegations due to the sensitive security situation in the border region since the onset of the Gaza crisis.
The Ministry further clarified that 'no requests, invitations, or corresponding responses will be considered if submitted outside the stipulated regulatory framework.' The organizers of the planned demonstrations, for their part, affirmed their commitment to complying with 'all the required procedures detailed in this statement.'
Activists informed CNN on Wednesday that some participants faced difficulties and questioning upon their arrival in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, expressing fears of deportation.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said he expects the Egyptian government to 'prevent jihadist protesters from reaching the Egyptian-Israeli border, and not allow them to carry out provocations and attempt to enter Gaza.' Katz added that such actions 'would endanger the security of Israeli soldiers, and we will not permit that.'
