Participants in the march to Gaza have been arrested in Egypt, according to the organization. The Dutch delegation of the organization reports that activists are being deported.
“We have received reports that several march participants from Algeria, Tunisia, Germany, Morocco, Australia, France and other countries have been detained by the Egyptian authorities in Cairo,” Global March to Gaza writes on X.
“They were en route to join the international march to Gaza, a peaceful attempt to end the blockade and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” The organization is calling for the release of the activists.
The Dutch delegation of the organization reports that participants were treated unfairly and degradingly upon arrival at Cairo airport. The passports of the Dutch citizens have been confiscated, according to the delegation.
Dutch citizens had to wait on the ground for hours without access to water, food or medical assistance, the delegation says. They also allegedly received no information about their situation. The Dutch branch condemns the treatment and is working hard to locate the Dutch citizens.
Hundreds of Dutch citizens had departed for Cairo
The sister of Mark van Rennes, the captain of the activist ship Madleen who is currently imprisoned in Israel, also wanted to participate in the march. She has been put on a plane to Istanbul and reports that she has arrived there together with about thirty other Dutch activists. Around 2:00 PM she will fly to Schiphol, presumably with many of the other Dutch citizens.
Participants from dozens of countries are gathering these days in Cairo for the march. The intention is to proceed to Al-Arish, in order to continue on foot from there to the border with the Gaza Strip. Israel has asked Egypt to stop the activists.
On Tuesday, about a hundred Dutch participants departed from Schiphol to Cairo. They were seen off in the photo above this article.