Pro-Palestinian activists aiming to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza were stopped Friday in Libya and Egypt, organisers said.
Forty members of the Global March to Gaza had their passports seized at a checkpoint near Cairo, where they were held in scorching heat.
Another 15 activists were detained in hotels, unable to continue their journey, according to a statement from organisers.
The protesters, hailing from France, Spain, Canada, Turkey, and the UK, stressed their peaceful intentions and compliance with Egyptian law.
They called on embassies to intervene and secure their release, hoping to resume their mission to Gaza.
Video footage showed Egyptian security forces dispersing sit-ins, with some women reportedly “molested and carried like cattle onto buses,” said activist Florence Heskia.
Nadia, another protester, said authorities confiscated passports and pressured activists onto buses bound for deportation.
The Global March planned to gather around 4,000 participants from over 40 countries in Cairo before traveling to Gaza’s border after a 50-kilometre trek through the Sinai Peninsula.
Separately, the “Soumoud” convoy, carrying about a thousand activists from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania, was blocked at Libya’s Sirte city gate.
Tunisian organiser Wael Naouar said the convoy awaited Egyptian authorisation to cross, with conflicting security messages causing uncertainty.
Despite the obstacles, Naouar vowed, “We will not turn back.”
In Cairo, one person was arrested amid heavy security as activists tried to gather.
Organisers reported over 200 arrests since Thursday, with many deported or threatened, expressing surprise at the harsh crackdown.
Egypt’s foreign ministry said it supports pressure on Israel but insists any delegations must get official approval before approaching the Gaza border.