Moroccan Activists Denounce Detention in Egypt Ahead of Global March to Gaza
Rabat – A group of Moroccan activists heading to Egypt to join an international march in support of Palestinians in Gaza were detained and questioned by Egyptian authorities in Cairo. The activists are part of the Global March to Gaza, an international mass effort aiming to break the blockade on Gaza and push for humanitarian access.
Among those targeted were several Moroccans who had all the required documents, including valid visas and confirmed travel plans. Still, they were held for hours at Cairo airport, and at least 12 Moroccans were deported without explanation, says one Moroccan activist in a video shared on social media.
He described the ordeal as degrading and unjust. 'We arrived with everything in order … visas, tickets, guarantees,' he said. 'Still, we were detained for over three hours. Some of us were eventually allowed in, but 12 people from our flight were deported.'
According to the activist, the conditions were psychologically draining, with some people crammed into holding areas with no clear information on what was happening. One elderly woman with diabetes had insulin in her bag, but when she informed the authorities, 'they completely ignored her,' he added.
The experience left many shaken. 'The treatment was humiliating,' the activist said, describing the handling of peaceful marchers as more befitting of a 'thuggish regime' than a nation that claims to respect international visitors.
'The activists who came to join the march wouldn't have come to Egypt in the first place if Egypt had fulfilled its duty and truly worked to lift the blockade on Gaza. It failed to do so, and even blocked others who tried to apply pressure to lift it,' he concluded.
The Egyptian authorities have not issued any official comment. But according to march spokesperson Saif Abukeshek, over 200 people, including nationals from Morocco, Algeria, France, Spain, the United States, and Australia, among other, were either detained, questioned, or deported.
He told AFP that plainclothes officers entered hotels with lists of names, conducted interrogations, and confiscated personal belongings. Some were released, others were sent back.
Abukeshek said 20 French citizens were held for 18 hours at the airport, and shared videos showed dozens of people stuck in a holding room with their luggage.
The Global March to Gaza is a coordinated international action where thousands of people from more than 40 countries planned to travel to the Rafah border crossing on Friday.
The aim is to deliver humanitarian aid and raise global pressure to end the blockade on Gaza. Many of the marchers were supposed to travel to El-Arish in Sinai by bus, then walk 50 kilometers to the border before returning to Cairo on June 19.
A second convoy, called 'Soumoud,' meaning 'steadfastness' in Arabic, left Tunisia earlier this week, trying to reach Gaza through Libya and Egypt. However, organizers said they are still waiting for Egypt to grant passage permits.
The march comes as Israel intensifies its genocidal war on Gaza amid a blockade that left the already devastated population with food, water, and medication. The blockade has led to dozens of deaths among children and elderly people in recent weeks due to famine.
On top of that, Israel has been targeting civilians and deliberately killing civilians who go to aid sites to collect much-needed food and medical supplies.
Israeli officials have urged Egypt to stop what they called 'jihadist protesters' from reaching the border, saying that they 'would endanger the safety of (Israeli) soldiers and will not be allowed.' Despite these setbacks, organizers say the movement will remain peaceful and focused on humanitarian goals.
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