In Photos: In Egypt, Solidarity with Gaza Interrupted

Earlier this month, on June 12, more than 3,500 activists from more than 50 countries around the world gathered in Cairo, Egypt, with the hopes of marching to the border of the besieged, war-stricken Gaza Strip. Yet, nearly from the moment they set out, they encountered roadblocks, police interference, and detention cells.

From Cairo, they intended to march peacefully to the Rafah crossing, some 366 kilometers (227 miles) away, located in Egypt’s northeastern Sinai Desert. The goal was to pressure Egyptian authorities to open the border as Israel’s war on Gaza rages on and allow life-saving humanitarian aid into the Strip. In recent months, Israel’s clampdown on the entry of humanitarian aid has worsened an already severe crisis for Palestinians in the coastal enclave. 

What followed was a week-long series of detentions, expulsions, intense surveillance, and a military blockade that prevented the convoy from ever reaching its destination. 

From almost the moment the first delegations arrived at Cairo International Airport, Egyptian authorities launched a campaign of obstruction, deporting dozens upon their arrival in the country. Others found themselves in airport detention rooms — some enduring interrogation, others facing accusations of carrying medical supplies without prescriptions or bringing camping equipment Egyptian authorities considered suspicious. 

The Sumud (Arabic for steadfastness) convoy included more than 4,000 people from Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and other parts of North Africa. Though they planned to meet the March to Gaza en route to Rafah, the Sumud participants never managed to cross into Egypt. 

One participant, a South African who introduced himself as Jared*, explained why so many people had made the journey to join the march. “This is a humanitarian convoy to open the Gaza border,” he said, “so the Palestinian people can feed themselves.” 

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Most of the hotels hosting delegations from around the world found themselves under the watchful eye of Egyptian authorities. Early on June 13, many participants faced arrest. 

Tasos, who had traveled to Egypt with the Greek delegation, blasted the international community for what he considers its indifference to Palestinians living under war since October 2023. “The reason that brought me here is the loss of human rights,” he explained, “and the complete inaction of governments around the world.” 

As the Egyptian government moved to block the march, organizers shifted tactics and changed the goal to getting as close as possible to Rafah. Around 1,500 people set off in small groups by taxi, hoping to make it to Ismailia, the last major city before the Sinai Peninsula. But police set up checkpoints throughout the 130-kilometer (80-mile) journey, blocking many along the way. 

Authorities stopped more than 200 activists at the first checkpoint alone, and some endured violence at the hands of authorities who then forced them to return to Cairo. At the second checkpoint, more than 1,200 activists clashed with police. The authorities held them on the desert roadside beneath the summer sun for some six hours, subjecting the activists to lengthy identification checks and eventually denying them passage and shipping many back to the capital. Only a few managed to reach Ismailia, but police soon escorted them back too. 

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Irish activist Rob Leonard said the mission was not merely a political act but a moral imperative. “We came here to demand the transfer of medical aid into Gaza and to help stop this genocide,” he explained. 

At one point, Egyptian police announced that the activists had 15 minutes — “or we will use force.” Many chose to stay nonetheless, and plainclothes police officers pushed and dragged many away, placing them in vehicles, and sending them back to Cairo. 

Kleoniki, coordinator of the Greek delegation, said that police had arrested the global march’s coordinator and a lead organizer with the Swiss delegation, while many others endured deportation. “The march started with over 3,000 people and ended with barely 1,000,” Kleoniki said. “We had to decide whether and how to continue.”

By June 14, just two days in, Egypt had intensified its crackdown. The authorities had never officially banned the mission, but they cited the need for special permits to access the Rafah crossing. Deportations grew, and more people wound up in Egyptian detention. Those not in detention switched up tactics once again, holding strategy meetings in Cairo. Meanwhile, the piles of humanitarian aid trapped at Egypt’s border with Gaza continued to grow.

*Many preferred to not use pseudonyms for safety and privacy reasons.