More than 200 pro-Palestinian activists have been detained by Egyptian authorities in Cairo ahead of a planned international march aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade of Gaza, organisers said on Thursday.
Thousands of campaigners participating in the Global March to Gaza had intended to travel to Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with the besieged Palestinian enclave on Friday, calling for greater humanitarian access into the territory.
Saif Abukeshek, a spokesperson for the march, told AFP that over 200 individuals were either detained at Cairo airport or questioned in hotels across the capital. The detainees reportedly included nationals from Algeria, Australia, France, Morocco, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States.
According to Abukeshek, plainclothes security officers entered hotels on Wednesday with lists of names, interrogating participants, searching their belongings, and in some instances seizing mobile phones. Some of those questioned were arrested, while others were released.
Several activists were held for hours at Cairo airport without explanation, with some later deported, Abukeshek said, though he did not specify how many were forced to leave. He added that more than 20 French nationals who had planned to join the march were detained at the airport for 18 hours.
“What happened was completely unexpected,” Abukeshek remarked.
Footage shared with AFP showed dozens of travellers, many with their luggage, packed into a holding area at the airport. In one video, a German woman said: “We’re locked up here in this room with so many people — some 30 to 40.” She added that she had contacted her embassy, which was “trying to figure things out.”
Another clip showed a group of more than 30 people aboard a deportation flight from Cairo chanting in French: “The world is with you… Gaza… Gaza.”
One French national who was briefly detained and later released on Thursday told AFP he was held in a room with around 15 others. Speaking anonymously, he said he saw between 50 and 60 people being stopped, including elderly individuals and families.
A statement from the Greek delegation confirmed that dozens of Greek citizens were held at the airport but were released after roughly 10 hours in custody.
The Global March to Gaza said that some detainees were being freed after diplomatic staff from various countries arrived at Cairo airport to offer consular support.
Egyptian authorities have not issued an official comment, and a request for a response from Cairo Security Directorate head Tarek Rashid went unanswered.
The planned march comes as Israel faces growing international criticism over its continued blockade of Gaza, now entering its 21st month of abductions and killings. The United Nations has described the enclave as “the hungriest place on Earth,” calling for urgent aid deliveries.
A separate convoy, known as Soumoud (Arabic for steadfastness), departed Tunisia on Monday with the goal of reaching Gaza via Libya and Egypt. However, organisers say Egyptian authorities have yet to grant passage permits. The convoy reached Tripoli, Libya’s capital, on Wednesday, but it remains unclear whether it will be allowed to cross into eastern Libya, which is controlled by rival forces loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar.
The Global March to Gaza, which is coordinating with Soumoud, said around 4,000 participants from over 40 countries were expected to take part in Friday’s event. Many have already arrived in Egypt.
According to the plan, participants will travel by bus to El-Arish, a city in the highly militarised Sinai Peninsula, before marching 50 kilometres towards the Gaza border. They are expected to camp overnight before returning to Cairo in June 19.
Israel has urged Egyptian authorities to block the protest, warning that the arrival of “jihadist protesters” at the border would pose a threat to its soldiers and “will not be allowed”, according to Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
In response, Egypt’s foreign ministry said it supports international efforts to increase pressure on Israel, but stressed that any foreign delegations travelling to the border must be approved through official channels.
Despite the crackdown, Abukeshek remained defiant: “We will continue despite what happened because the current numbers in Egypt and those expected to arrive are enough to organise this march.”