Egyptian authorities have blocked a convoy organized by the Global March to Gaza, detaining several dozen pro-Palestinian activists outside Cairo for hours, according to the group’s organizers. Some were released, but others remain in custody.
Egyptian authorities have blocked a convoy organized by the Global March to Gaza, detaining several dozen pro-Palestinian activists outside Cairo for hours, according to the group’s organizers. Some were released, but others remain in custody.
The activists left Cairo by car on Friday, aiming to reach Gaza through the Sinai Peninsula. They were stopped near Ismailia, where passports were confiscated, and some were reportedly mistreated before being forced onto buses, according to videos shared online.
“We were held for six to seven hours before the group was violently dispersed,” said organizer Seif Abu Kishk, who also denied claims circulating on social media that the activists were trying to incite unrest in Cairo.
Egypt has not issued any official statement on the detentions or expulsions, despite dozens of activists being turned back in recent days.
The march aimed to reach Rafah via al-Arich, with participants including foreign lawmakers and the grandson of Nelson Mandela. Organizers insist their mission remains peaceful and focused on reaching Gaza.
Meanwhile in Libya, a separate convoy of North African activists, dubbed "Soumoud," has been blocked near Sirte by forces loyal to eastern commander Khalifa Haftar.
Several Palestinian factions are due to meet in Egypt on Saturday to discuss the future governance of Gaza, as the prospect of a significantly expanded role for Mohammed Dahlan, a longtime rival of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, gains renewed momentum.
Hundreds of Libyan demonstrators blocked off the office of the U.N. refugee agency in the capital Tripoli on Thursday during a protest against migrants who have travelled to the country in search of work or passage to Europe.
Human Rights Watch has accused an Abu Dhabi-based security company of recruiting Colombian private military contractors and deploying them to fight alongside Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) between 2024 and 2025, adding to what the rights group describes as a growing body of evidence of Emirati military support for the paramilitary group.
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