DaysofPal – The Egyptian government is under mounting criticism for detaining and interrogating hundreds of foreign activists who arrived in Cairo to participate in the Global March to Gaza, a grassroots campaign aimed at challenging Israel’s 18-year blockade on the besieged Palestinian enclave.
According to organizers of the march, nearly 4,000 participants from over 40 countries had registered for the initiative. The effort includes a land convoy, dubbed the “Sumud Convoy,” meaning “steadfastness” in Arabic, which departed from Tunis earlier this week en route to the Rafah crossing in Egypt, the only access point to Gaza not directly controlled by Israel.
The symbolic march was intended to begin on Thursday. However, in the days prior, Egyptian authorities reportedly detained or interrogated more than 200 individuals upon their arrival in Cairo. Many of those affected were French nationals, several of whom have been stranded at Cairo airport for hours without access to food or water, according to the French outlet Blast.
A representative of the French delegation told Blast that Egyptian authorities were detaining French citizens “almost systematically,” citing the absence of an official list of participants.
“This is a peaceful march aimed at drawing global attention to Gaza’s suffering. The Egyptian response has been disproportionate and alarming,” the representative said.
On social media, Egyptian authorities have faced a torrent of criticism. Activists and observers accused the government of hypocrisy for suppressing a movement meant to express solidarity with Palestinians while claiming regional leadership on the Gaza issue.
The backlash intensified following comments by Ahmed Moussa, a well-known pro-government television presenter, who denounced the Sumud Convoy as a “ploy to embarrass Egypt.”
He and other pro-government voices suggested that the initiative was being orchestrated by individuals affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, which Egypt designates as a terrorist organization. This framing has sought to paint the convoy not as a pro-Palestinian action, but as a subversive political operation aimed at undermining the Egyptian state.
Despite the government’s efforts to discredit the campaign, the Sumud Convoy has received widespread regional support, drawing volunteers from Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, and Algeria. Many have hailed the initiative as a much-needed gesture of international solidarity in the face of what the International Criminal Court has labeled potential genocide by Israel in Gaza.
Broader movements around the world have surfaced in recent days demanding that the siege of Gaza be lifted, diplomatic relations with Israel be severed, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing an ICC arrest warrant for alleged war crimes, be held accountable internationally.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached a critical point. Since March 2, Israel has closed all crossings into the territory, barring the entry of food, medical supplies, fuel, and humanitarian aid. Observers warn that the ongoing military campaign, compounded by the blockade, is pushing the enclave deeper into catastrophe.
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