Egypt Deports Dozens of Algerian and French Activists Amid Crackdown on Gaza Solidarity Convoy
Egypt detains and deports activists at Cairo Airport for joining the “Caravan of Steadfastness” to Gaza; Rights groups denounce repression of peaceful solidarity efforts.
Watan-Egyptian authorities have deported dozens of Algerian and French activists after detaining them at Cairo International Airport.
The group included 26 Algerian nationals and several French supporters who had arrived in Egypt to participate in the international march to Gaza, organized by the International Coalition Against the Occupation. The initiative included a planned sit-in at the Rafah border crossing to demand an end to the blockade on Gaza.
Earlier, Egyptian authorities had already deported a Moroccan delegation arriving for the same purpose.
Rights Group Condemns Egypt’s Arrest of Gaza Solidarity Activists as Violation of Freedoms
The Egyptian Network for Human Rights condemned what it described as a sweeping wave of arrests targeting dozens of international activists who had traveled to join the “Caravan of Steadfastness” in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
According to verified information obtained by the network, many activists were detained upon arrival at Cairo Airport or from their hotel rooms, despite holding valid entry visas.
They were reportedly taken to unknown locations without any legal justification provided, in what the group labeled a blatant violation of freedom of movement and expression—rights guaranteed under Egypt’s constitution and international treaties it has ratified.
The network emphasized that expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people, especially during Israel’s ongoing aggression and blockade on Gaza, is a legitimate humanitarian stance and should not be criminalized or obstructed.
It further declared the Egyptian government fully responsible for the safety of the detained activists and demanded their immediate and unconditional release, calling on authorities to end all forms of persecution targeting human rights supporters.
The network urged the international community, rights organizations, and media outlets to take urgent action and pressure Egypt to honor its legal obligations and halt its suppression of free expression.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry reiterated in a Wednesday statement that prior approvals are required for any visits to the border area adjacent to Gaza.
Among those detained at the airport was Dr. Nour-Eddine Boukess, a prominent Algerian professor of sociology, known for his political and social commentary. In a video recorded from inside Cairo Airport, Boukess said:
“We’re here, trapped in the airport—this is an honor for us. At least now we feel a fraction of what our Palestinian brothers go through. This cause will always find those who support and live for it.”
He added, “We didn’t come to liberate Gaza, but to keep this cause alive and to be part of it—to do what we can.” Boukess stressed his determination to make the voice of Algerian support for Palestine heard despite the obstacles faced by the solidarity convoy.
This development comes just days after a similar incident on June 11, in which three Algerian lawyers—Professors Mostefaoui Samir, Mohamed Atef Briki, and Abbas Abdelnour—were detained at Cairo Airport.
Lawyers Detained at Cairo Airport as Gaza Caravan Pushes Forward Through North Africa
Yahia Saari, head of the “Algerian Initiative to Support Palestine and Aid Gaza,” stated:
“This caravan is more than a solidarity mission. It’s a free Algerian voice piercing through the walls of international silence. It’s a powerful message to the world that Gaza is not alone and that people still stand against injustice and global inaction.”
He added, “What we’re doing today may be the most we can do, but it’s still part of a larger fight. Our caravan is not just loaded with aid—it carries a cry of hope and a powerful symbol of free international will closing in on the occupier.”
Saari emphasized that the caravan represents a political, ethical, and humanitarian position all at once:
“We say to our people in Gaza, we feel your pain, we share your suffering. We may not have weapons, but we have will, voice, stance, and support.”
This step comes amid a global rise in grassroots mobilization to break the unjust blockade on Gaza and expose international silence on Israel’s crimes.
The Movement of Society for Peace, Algeria’s largest Islamic party, declared its full support for the Caravan of Steadfastness, praising participants and calling the popular solidarity movement a moral and humanitarian duty.
It urged Arab and Islamic governments, especially those along the convoy’s path, to facilitate its movement and provide logistical support, asserting that such efforts are a powerful rejection of normalization with Israel and a loud outcry against any attempts to legitimize the occupation.