Latest news with #GlobalMarchtoGaza
Sinar Daily
a day ago
- Politics
- Sinar Daily
Why Southeast Asians marched for Gaza and why the movement is far from over
From different walks of life activists, students, mothers, artists, professionals they came together to join the Global March to Gaza, a multinational civil society campaign calling for an end to the inhumane blockade on Gaza. By REVDA SELVER 19 Jun 2025 07:27pm Indonesian Muslims attend a rally in support of the ?Global March to Gaza? at Wibawa Mukti Stadium in Bekasi, West Java on June 15, 2025. (Photo by Aditya Irawan / AFP) Last week, dozens of Malaysians and Indonesians left their homes with nothing but conviction in their hearts. From different walks of life activists, students, mothers, artists, professionals they came together to join the Global March to Gaza, a multinational civil society campaign calling for an end to the inhumane blockade on Gaza. They were not politicians or diplomats. They were ordinary people taking an extraordinary stand representing a region that has, time and again, voiced deep solidarity with Palestine. The march brought over 4,000 participants from more than 80 countries to Cairo. Their goal was peaceful: to approach the Rafah crossing and call for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, where over two million people remain trapped under siege. Among them was the Southeast Asian delegation known as 'Qafla Al-Samoud,' made up of volunteers from Malaysia and Indonesia who believed it was time to on June 14, the mission was halted. Participants were blocked in Ismailia. Some were detained, others deported. A protester holds a placard depicting French-Palestinian lawyer and member of European Parliament for La France Insoumise (LFI) party Rima Hassan during a pro-Palestinian demonstration called by several French unions in Paris on June 14, 2025. French Democratic Confederation of Labour trade union (CFDT), French trade union General Confederation of Labour (CGT), French National Union of Autonomous Trade Unions (Unsa) Unsa, French group of trade unions Union syndicale Solidaires (SUD) and French trade union "Federation Syndicale Unitaire" (FSU) are calling for people to join "the mobilisation for Palestine" on June 14, 2025 and denounce "the Israeli authorities mortifying headlong rush and the atrocities" in Gaza, according to a joint statement. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP) Threats of violence, confiscation of passports, and prolonged holding at checkpoints made clear that although no official ban was declared the march would not be allowed to proceed. This was not due to Israeli interference, as many first assumed. Instead, it was Egyptian authorities who imposed the restrictions. For a peaceful campaign that operated within Egyptian law and coordinated with embassies, the message was deeply troubling: solidarity is seen as a threat. Yet, what they tried to stop on the ground only grew stronger across the globe. From Mexico to Cyprus, more than 50 parallel actions were carried out. The Freedom Flotilla's 'Madeleine' ship set sail from Italy, carrying aid and international hope before being intercepted by Israeli forces. Despite physical setbacks, these efforts have reignited a wave of public support for Palestine not just in the Middle East, but globally. The Southeast Asian presence in the march is 'historic.' Because these weren't just protests, they were proof that the people of Southeast Asia refuse to be complicit in genocide. They marched for every child under rubble, every parent grieving, every classroom destroyed. They marched because silence is no longer an option. Now that the campaign has concluded, the next phase must begin: sustained pressure, legal action, media awareness, and regional mobilisation. We must continue to raise our voices, support humanitarian efforts and hold power to account. The Global March to Gaza is not over. It is only just beginning. Revda Selver is Friends of Palestine Public Relation and Media Executive. The views expressed in this article are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Sinar Daily. More Like This
Extra.ie
a day ago
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Paul Murphy defends March to Gaza participation
Paul Murphy has defended his participation in the Global March to Gaza, stating, 'people in the public eye, with public positions, should do whatever they can to draw awareness.' The People Before Profit TD returned to Ireland on Wednesday after being detained in Egypt twice during his participation in the march, which featured up to 4,000 people. Recalling his time in Egypt, Mr Murphy admitted he thought the group would 'get further than we did get.' Paul Murphy has defended his participation in the Global March to Gaza, stating 'people in the public eye; with public positions should do whatever they can to draw awareness.' Pic: Ireland AM/ Instagram Speaking on Ireland AM on Thursday morning, Mr Murphy recalled how the group had to get out of cars to be met with police at their meeting point. 'They took our passports immediately,' he told presenters Muireann O'Connell and Tommy Bowe,' Then a few hours later tried to force people, and eventually did successfully, physically move people to get them onto buses. 'Some people, not me, were hurt or kind of beaten by the police in trying to do so,' he claimed. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ireland AM (@irelandamvmtv) The Dublin politician explained that the groups were put into buses and small vans and taken to the airport, going a long route which took up to seven hours. 'We got back to Cairo Airport on this Saturday morning and then, we were expecting to be deported at this stage, but they just let us go,' he said, 'The police had disappeared. The airport police didn't know what to do with us, and then we were able to make our way back into Cairo and attempt to regroup.' Tommy then questioned the TD on what he had actually expected to come from the march, as he note,d 'you didn't get far at all.' Tommy then questioned the TD on what he had actually expected to come from the march as he noted 'you didn't get far at all.' Pic: Ireland AM/ Tommy Bowe Responding to criticism from fellow TDs called it the march for publicity for the 42-year-old, rather than for Gaza, Mr Murphy confirmed he was a late-comer to the group. 'I want to use my position, yes, to have publicity,' he said, 'Not on me, but on what's happening in Gaza because, particularly, now with Iran and Israel's assaults' on Iran and the threat of regional war, there's a danger that eyes go off what's happening in Gaza when actually it's getting worse. 'I think Israel is using the cover of Iran to increase the number of daily killings taking place and think everybody really, but in particular people in the public eye; people with public positions should do whatever they can to draw awareness to this and to build pressure on Israel and our own Governments.' Social media users were full of praise for the father-of-one, with one person writing: 'Well done Paul for creating awareness.' Another added: 'Well done Paul. You are a man with integrity and an inspiration to all. Thank you for raising awareness.'
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Paul Murphy returns to Ireland after being held in Egypt
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy, who was detained twice in Egypt while participating in the Global March to Gaza, has returned to Ireland. He was among a group of participants in the march from Ireland who flew back to Dublin. Speaking to journalists at Dublin Airport, the People Before Profit/Solidarity TD said that "this phase of the global march to Gaza is finished". However, he said that the international campaign for Gaza will continue and will focus next on the meeting between EU foreign ministers and Israel's foreign minister in Brussels next week. Mr Murphy said that all of the Irish people involved in the march "are fine" but there are others still detained in Egypt and for that reason he had to be careful "in terms of what comments we make about Egypt". He said he still does not have his phone back following his detention. Earlier, Mr Murphy told RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme that no other Irish citizens were currently detained in Egypt. Mr Murphy said it was not initially clear to him that he was being detained. "For the first three hours or so, it was just a slow, bureaucratic process. Things were taking a long time. I asked to leave and was told I couldn't. The whole time they had my passport, and it became clear that I was being detained, as unfortunately hundreds of have been in Egypt, and many people deported. "Yesterday, in total, I was in the police station for nine hours," he added. The TD for Dublin South West said that there would be no renewed attempt for the group to continue their march to Rafah, and that they were disappointed that they had not succeeded. Have now been released, thanks again for all the support. Others from #GlobalMarchToGaza still detained. Will comment further when I've left Egypt. Free Palestine 🇵🇸 — Paul Murphy 🇵🇸 (@paulmurphy_TD) June 16, 2025 "Obviously, we are disappointed that we didn't get to Rafah. But, we have had probably the largest international people-powered coalition for Palestine in a very long time." Hundreds of people went to Egypt for the Global March to Gaza, an international initiative intended to exert pressure for an end to an Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory and draw attention to the humanitarian crisis there. Mr Murphy said that pressure needed to be put on western governments to get Israel "to stop what they are doing".
Int'l Business Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Nelson Mandela's Grandson Gets Passport Seized in Egypt During Global March to Gaza: 'Many Governments Have Failed Palestinians'
Nelson Mandela's grandson, Mandla Mandela, had his passport seized by Egyptian officials while attempting to break the siege in the Gaza Strip through the "Global March to Gaza," which began on June 15. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who helped end apartheid in South Africa, Mandela joined more than 4,000 activists from 80 countries in traveling to Cairo on Sunday to break the siege and deliver humanitarian aid to more than 2 million starving Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. However, Egyptian authorities, acting in coordination with the Israeli and U.S. governments, have attempted to halt the march by detaining activists, including Mandela, and confiscating their passports. Mandela acknowledged that he had anticipated "coming to Egypt would not be easy," but criticized the Egyptian government as hypocritical for calling for a ceasefire and the free flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza in the media while simultaneously detaining activists. He added that marchers who managed to enter Cairo have faced significant obstacles at tollgates, likening them to checkpoints in the West Bank. Some have even been beaten, according to Reuters. In one incident, Mandela said his passport was confiscated and withheld for six hours, only returned on the condition that he board a bus and leave for Gaza, which he said he will not do. "Unfortunately, we as the international solidarity movement in the Global March to Gaza are not here for the interests of Egypt. We are here for the interests of Palestinians," Mandela explained in a 7-minute interview with The Crispin Flintoff Show. "We can no longer sit idle while babies, children and women in particular are butchered, massacred on a daily basis through a genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity," he continued, adding that the Israeli regime must be held accountable "through the rightful institutions like the ICJ and ICC." Mandela noted that many marchers have received support from their embassies, which have pressured Egyptian authorities to release detained nationals at Cairo International Airport. However, he emphasized that governments must do more to support the cause. "We must send a clear and strong message that many governments have failed the Palestinian people and the Palestinians are now looking to civil society," Mandela stated. "Everyone that is here is not coming from government structures but are in touch and bound by humanity. These are civil society organizations that have come together to say that they cannot sit silent anymore and watch babies on a daily basis being massacred." Thousands of trucks filled with aid are waiting to be distributed by participants in the Global March to Gaza to starving Palestinians across the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), however, continue blocking any aid from entering. Meanwhile, the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid sites have turned into daily massacres for Palestinian people. Since the four sites, run by U.S. and IDF soldiers, opened on May 26, nearly 400 Palestinians have been killed and thousands have been injured while trying to obtain food and aid for their families. Originally published on Latin Times Nelson mandela Israel Egypt South Africa
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gaza march activists say participants in Egypt beaten, detained
CAIRO (Reuters) -Organisers of a march to the Egyptian border with Gaza said on Tuesday that three participants were abducted by plainclothes officers in Cairo amid a wave of arbitrary detentions, deportations and abuse by security forces. Egypt's interior and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to the allegations. Reuters could not independently verify the reported detentions or conditions. The Global March to Gaza, launched this month, brought over 4,000 activists from more than 80 countries to Egypt in an attempt to peacefully approach the Rafah border crossing and draw attention to Gaza's deepening humanitarian crisis. Since their arrival, dozens of participants said they have faced airport interrogations, deportations and roadblocks preventing access to the Sinai peninsula, which provides the land route to Gaza. In a statement on Tuesday, organisers said three international participants were forcibly taken from a Cairo cafe on Monday by security officers who did not identify themselves. Those named were Jonas Selhi and Huthayfa Abuserriya, both from Norway, and Saif Abukeshek, a Spanish citizen of Palestinian origin and one of the march's organisers. The statement said that according to Selhi, all three men were blindfolded, beaten and interrogated. Abukeshek, he said, faced especially severe abuse. His whereabouts remain unknown, while Selhi and Abuserriya have since been deported to Norway, organisers said. Two security sources denied to Reuters that any detainees were treated violently as long as they adhered to procedures and security instructions until their deportation. The sources said that approximately 400 people have been deported, while fewer than 30 remain awaiting deportation and are being held. "We urge the Egyptian authorities to immediately release Saif Abukeshek and all other detained march participants," the statement said, adding that the group had suspended its Egypt-based plans and made efforts to coordinate with authorities. Egypt's foreign ministry had previously said travel to the Rafah area required prior approval to ensure safety. Organisers say they sought to coordinate through proper channels.
