Egypt detains more than 200 pro-Palestinian activists ahead of Gaza aid march: Organisers

CAIRO – The Egyptian authorities have detained more than 200 pro-Palestinian activists in Cairo ahead of an international march aiming to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza, the organisers said on June 12.

Thousands of people taking part in the Global March To Gaza planned to travel to Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with the Palestinian territory on June 13 to call for increased humanitarian aid access.

“Over 200 participants were detained at Cairo airport or questioned at hotels across Cairo,” the march’s spokesman Saif Abukeshek told AFP.

The detainees included people from the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Morocco and Algeria.

Plain-clothes police entered hotels in Cairo on June 11 with lists of names, questioned activists and in some cases, confiscated mobile phones and searched personal belongings, said Mr Abukeshek.

“After interrogations, some were arrested and others were released,” he added.

At Cairo airport, some detainees were held for hours without explanation, Mr Abukeshek said, adding others were deported, without specifying how many.

More than 20 French activists who had planned to join the march were held at Cairo airport for 18 hours, he said.

“What happened was completely unexpected,” Mr Abukeshek said.

Footage shared with AFP showed dozens of people with their luggage crammed inside a holding room at the airport.

“We’re locked up here in this room with so many people – some 30 to 40 people,” a German national said in one video.

“I called the embassy and they told me their people are trying to figure things out,” she said.

Another video obtained by AFP shows more than 30 people aboard a deportation flight from Cairo chanting in French: “The world is with you... Gaza... Gaza”.

One French traveller, who was briefly detained and released early on June 12, told AFP he had been held in a room at Cairo airport with around 15 others.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said he saw between 50 and 60 people being stopped, including elderly people and families.

The Greek contingent said in a statement that dozens of Greek nationals were among those held at Cairo airport, but were later released after 10 hours in custody.

The Global March To Gaza said several people were being released after diplomatic staff arrived at Cairo airport to provide “consular assistance to the detained participants”.

Cairo Security Directorate chief Tarek Rashid did not respond to an AFP request for comment.

Pressure

After 21 months of war, Israel is facing mounting international pressure to allow more aid into Gaza, which the United Nations has dubbed “the hungriest place on earth”.

Another convoy dubbed Soumoud, or steadfastness in Arabic, left the Tunisian capital on June 9, hoping to pass through divided Libya and Egypt – which organisers say has yet to provide passage permits – to reach Gaza.

The Soumoud convoy arrived in Tripoli – the Libyan capital controlled by the internationally recognised government – on June 11.

It remains uncertain whether the convoy will be allowed into eastern Libya which is controlled by rival forces loyal to military commander Khalifa Haftar.

The Global March To Gaza, which is coordinating with Soumoud, said around 4,000 participants from more than 40 countries would take part in the event, with many having already arrived ahead of the June 13 march.

According to the plan, participants are set to travel by bus to the city of El-Arish in the heavily secured Sinai Peninsula before walking 50km towards the border with Gaza.

They would then camp there before returning to Cairo on June 19.

Israel has called on the Egyptian authorities “to prevent the arrival of jihadist protesters at the Egypt-Israel border”.

Such actions “would endanger the safety of (Israeli) soldiers and will not be allowed”, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said.

In response, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said that while it backs efforts to put “pressure on Israel” to lift its blockade on Gaza, any foreign delegations visiting the border area must receive approval through official channels.

Mr Abukeshek said: “We will continue despite what happened because the current numbers in Egypt and those expected to arrive are enough to organise this march.” AFP