Egyptian officials have expelled numerous foreign nationals who arrived in Egypt to participate in a pro-Palestinian demonstration, with additional individuals reportedly facing deportation, as per the organizers and sources at the airport and security agencies.
This week, hundreds of attendees gathered in Egypt for the Global March to Gaza, an international initiative aimed at urging an end to the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory and highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Organizers indicated that participants from 80 countries were scheduled to commence their march towards Egypt’s Rafah Crossing into Gaza tomorrow, which is approximately 48km away, confirming that some were deported or detained at the airport.
About 50 individuals from Ireland planned to join the demonstration, including mother-of-four Helen Lawlor from County Laois.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to requests for comments.
Previously, it stated that visits to the Rafah border area must be pre-coordinated with Egyptian embassies or government bodies, emphasizing the importance of adhering to official protocols for safety and security.
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The organizers released a statement late last night asserting that they had met all outlined requirements.
“In the two months leading up to the march, organizers worked directly with Egyptian embassies in more than 15 nations and with the Foreign Ministry to ensure complete transparency at every phase,” they declared, urging Egypt to release all those who had been detained.
Israel’s defense minister instructed the Israeli military to prevent demonstrators from entering Gaza from Egypt, stating that the march posed a risk to Israeli and regional security.
Egyptian officials have noted that the Rafah crossing is closed on the Gaza side by Israel and are calling for international pressure on Israel to open the crossing for the delivery of aid.
Irish woman recounts her experience at Cairo Airport
A young Irish woman, caught in the detentions, shared her experience after landing in Cairo this morning.
She mentioned being pulled aside without explanation at the last security checkpoint before leaving Cairo International Airport.
Her belongings were searched, and she was interrogated about flags or protest materials, none of which she possessed.
After waiting in a holding area, she was subsequently grouped with three other unfamiliar passengers and detained.
Authorities confiscated their phones and passports, searched them, and prohibited any communication, she reported.
She stated that she received no sustenance, apart from a piece of bread given by a security guard after around eight hours.
The woman was ultimately escorted to a departure gate later in the morning, where her passport was returned to Turkish Airlines staff and her phone was given back with the condition that she refrain from contacting the Irish embassy, she recounted.
She described the ordeal as “one of the most unsettling and disorienting experiences” of her life.
However, she emphasized that her experience at the airport pales in comparison to the starvation faced by Palestinians in Gaza.
She expressed hopes that the march on Gaza and the subsequent detentions would help apply international pressure for meaningful action.
