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Israel's war on Gaza

Egypt slammed for its treatment of foreign nationals doing Global March for Gaza

Organisers say around 4,000 activists from over 40 countries signed up to participate in the march, with 200 detained or interrogated
Participants in the March to Gaza flash the victory sign as they depart from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport for Egypt, on June 11 2025 (Ramon van Flymen/AFP)
By MEE staff
Published date: 12 June 2025 18:43 BST | Last update: 3 weeks 5 days ago

Egyptian authorities on Tuesday and Wednesday detained and interrogated more than 200 individuals who travelled to Cairo to take part in the Global March to Gaza, sparking widespread criticism online. 

The Global March to Gaza is an international campaign aimed at challenging Israel’s blockade of the region, according to its organisers. 

Approximately 4,000 participants from over 40 countries had arranged flights to Cairo, with many arriving ahead of the scheduled march, which was meant to start on Thursday.

The activists had flown into Cairo to join a grassroots land convoy that departed from Tunisia’s capital on Monday, intending to reach Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza. The convoy aimed to become a “symbolic gesture” to draw attention to Israel’s debilitating 18-year blockade of the enclave.

According to news reports and social media users online, Egypt has detained and mistreated some of these foreign individuals, with many from France in particular arriving to take part in the march to break the siege on Gaza.

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French nationals have been stranded at the airport since dawn, some without water or food, according to a report by the news outlet Blast. A representative of the French delegation for the Gaza March said that Egyptian authorities almost systematically detained French citizens due to the lack of an official list of participants, the report added. 

Many online criticised the Egyptian government's treatment of these individuals and accused it of being “hypocritical”.

But the country’s crackdown on activists aiming to reach Gaza and break Israel’s blockade did not start here. Earlier this week, Ahmed Moussa, a prominent pro-government presenter in Egypt, took to social media to criticise the grassroots convoy heading towards Gaza, calling the effort a "ploy to embarrass Egypt". 

The Sumud Convoy - which means steadfastness in Arabic - started in Tunisia this week, with thousands of volunteers from Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco and Algeria. 

While many celebrated the Sumud Convoy and its aim of breaking the blockade on the enclave, some pro-government figures in Egypt called the plan a "political scheme" by people affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, which is outlawed in Egypt. This characterisation of the convoy painted it as an "anti-Egyptian establishment" effort, as opposed to a pro-Palestinian effort.

This campaign against the Sumud Convoy and the latest arrests and mistreatment of the activists arriving in the country to join the Global March has now morphed into fierce criticism of Egypt's government. 

Many online accused the Egyptian government of complicity in what they termed as Israel’s war crimes, and criticised other Arab countries for not standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people. 

Some online joined the conversation by sharing memes criticising Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, suggesting that the country is applying a double standard to Israel and the peaceful activists who try to raise awareness of Israel’s war on Gaza. More than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israel’s war on Gaza, which several countries, as well as many international rights groups and experts, now qualify as an act of genocide.

The spokesperson for the Global March for Gaza, Saif Abu Keshek, told AFP that over 200 pro-Palestine activists had been detained at Cairo airport or are being questioned at hotels across Cairo. He added that detainees include US, Dutch, Australian, French, Spanish, Moroccan, and Algerian nationals.

According to Egyptian news outlet Mada Masr, 40 Algerian citizens were detained on Wednesday morning and released after spending 24 hours in custody. Additionally, 10 members of a Moroccan delegation were reportedly denied entry and sent back to the airport.

The outlet also reported, citing a source, that several Turkish nationals were deported after displaying Palestinian flags outside their hotel. 

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