Global Gaza March Leader Condemns Egypt’s Crackdown on Peace Activists
Saif Abu Kishk denounces arrests, deportations, and hotel raids against international activists in Cairo aiming to break Gaza siege.
Watan-Saif Abu Kishk, head of the International Coalition Against the Occupation and spokesperson for the Global March to Gaza, said that participants were shocked by the violations they faced from Egyptian authorities. He denied accusations that the marchers attempted to “cause chaos,” emphasizing that all participants adhered to the procedures outlined by Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Abu Kishk himself was arrested and deported from Cairo Airport, along with hundreds of others involved in the march, which aimed to break the siege on the Gaza Strip.
Speaking to Al-Quds Al-Arabi, he said:“There were 4,000 activists from 80 countries who came to Cairo to join the march. We were truly shocked by the violations we faced, especially the arrests and deportations from the airport, as well as the raids on hotels where the activists were staying, and the violent scenes at one of the highway checkpoints during our attempt to head to Ismailia.”
He added, “We never expected to be treated this way by the Egyptian side, especially since the goals of the march were publicly declared and transparent.”
Regarding accusations that the marchers tried to stir unrest in Egypt, Abu Kishk responded:“That is simply not true. We committed no acts in violation of the law. We did not gather in public squares or block roads, even though we were near some of Cairo’s main streets and landmarks.”
He continued:“We believed that the official Egyptian position aligned with the goals of the march—namely, to stop the genocide being committed by the occupation against Palestinians, lift the siege, and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. We also followed all the procedures set by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry and completed the required steps over three months ago. We never received any official rejection from the Egyptian government, so we went ahead with the plans.”
Abu Kishk concluded with a message to Arab and Western governments:“There is a global movement of various forms and strategies to support Palestine, built on coordinated efforts, and it will not stop. We believe that no one can truly be free as long as Palestine remains unfree. Regardless of the repression we face, we will not stop until the siege ends and the genocide is halted.”
