Cairo Protest Erupts Over Gaza Genocide and Egypt-Israel Peace Accord
Egyptian journalists and activists demand an end to Israel’s siege on Gaza and call for the cancellation of the Camp David Accords as humanitarian aid rots at the Rafah border.
Watan-While thousands of aid trucks sit idle on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, dozens of protesters gathered Thursday on the steps of the Journalists Syndicate in downtown Cairo, demanding an end to Israel’s ongoing genocide, siege, and starvation tactics in the Gaza Strip.
Participants held banners condemning the continued blockade and starvation of Gaza’s civilians, with slogans like “Lift the siege” and “No to genocide, no to displacement.” They carried images of Palestinian victims—children, women, and journalists—and a large sign reading: “Journalists reject Trump’s statements—No to displacement. Glory to the resistance.”
The protesters also demanded the abolition of Egypt’s 1979 peace treaty with Israel, widely known as the Camp David Accords, chanting:“Down with Camp David,” and “Resistance means weapons, not treaties with killers.”
They raised signs stating: “No to the Camp David Agreement.”
وقفة احتجاجية أمام نقابة الصحفيين في القاهرة دعمًا لقطاع #غزة ورفضًا لعدوان الاحتلال وتهجير الفلسطينيين pic.twitter.com/tmsH3wBurl
— الجزيرة مصر (@AJA_Egypt) May 29, 2025
Frustration mounted over the war, now lasting over 600 days without any resolution to halt the bloodshed in Gaza. Chants included:“By the blood of Mohammed al-Durrah, Jerusalem will be free again,” “Cowardly Arab governments—the border closure is a disgrace and betrayal,” and “Open the gates of jihad so our land can be reclaimed.”
Protesters also called for the release of political prisoners, chanting:“Freedom for every prisoner—bring back our detained brothers!” while holding a banner that read: “Freedom for the detainees.”
The protest was heavily monitored, with Central Security Forces, riot police trucks, and plainclothes officers deployed just steps away from demonstrators to prevent the gathering from spilling onto Abdel Khalek Tharwat Street. Police instructed many passersby to leave the area to prevent crowding.
Since the war began, political activists in Egypt have repeatedly staged protests demanding an end to the assault and access for humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Meanwhile, for the 94th consecutive day, Israel continues to shut down the Kerem Shalom and al-Awja crossings, blocking humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. This has resulted in the accumulation of aid trucks in North Sinai near al-Arish and around the Rafah crossing.
*مظاهرات داعمة لفلسطين على سلم نقابة الصحفيين المصريين بوسط البلد في القاهرة للمطالبة بكسر الحصار عن غزة* pic.twitter.com/grxct6kcJc
— Nearsteast (@nearsteast) May 30, 2025
May 18, 2025 – Reuters reported that the aid convoys have spread across streets and squares in North Sinai, piling up at Egyptian Red Crescent warehouses, where much of the food and medical supplies have begun to rot due to exposure to dust and the intense heat of the Sinai climate.
Additionally, for the 75th consecutive day, Israel has barred wounded Palestinians from Gaza from crossing into Egypt for treatment. So far, 46 convoys carrying 1,705 patients and 2,500 companions have entered Egypt, but all further transfers have been halted.
