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Egypt deports dozens planning pro-Palestinian march, organisers say
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 12, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
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Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 12, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Egypt deported foreign nationals planning a pro-Palestinian march to protest the Gaza blockade, citing entry violations. The march aimed to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis.
CAIRO (Reuters) -Egyptian authorities have deported dozens of foreign nationals who arrived in Egypt to take part in a pro-Palestinian march and dozens more face deportation, the organisers and airport and security sources said on Thursday.
Hundreds of people came to Egypt this week for the Global March to Gaza, an international initiative intended to exert pressure for an end to an Israeli blockade of the Palestinian enclave and draw attention to the humanitarian crisis there.
Organisers said people from 80 countries were set to begin the march to Egypt's Rafah Crossing with Gaza, and confirmed some had been deported or were detained at the airport.
Three airport sources told Reuters at least 73 foreign nationals had been deported on a flight to Istanbul on Thursday after authorities said they violated entry protocols, and that about 100 more were at the airport awaiting deportation.
The Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. It had earlier said visits to the Rafah border region must be coordinated in advance with Egyptian embassies or government entities, and underlined the need to follow official procedures to ensure safety and security.
The organisers said in a statement late on Wednesday they had complied with all the stated requirements.
"In the two months leading up to the march, organisers coordinated directly with Egyptian embassies in over 15 countries and with the Foreign Ministry to ensure transparency at every stage," the organisers said, urging Egypt to free all those who had been detained.
Israel's defence minister told the Israeli military on Wednesday to prevent demonstrators entering Gaza from Egypt, and said the march was a threat to Israeli and regional security.
Egyptian officials have said the Rafah crossing is closed by Israel on the Gaza side and want international pressure applied on Israel to open it to allow in aid.
(Reporting by Cairo bureau, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Egyptian authorities deported dozens of foreign nationals who arrived to participate in a pro-Palestinian march, claiming they violated entry protocols.
Organisers indicated that hundreds of participants from 80 countries were set to begin the march towards Egypt's Rafah Crossing with Gaza.
The Foreign Ministry stated that visits to the Rafah border region must be coordinated in advance with Egyptian embassies or government authorities.
Israel's defense minister instructed the military to prevent demonstrators from entering Gaza from Egypt, citing the march as a threat to security.
The organisers claimed they had complied with all stated requirements and coordinated with Egyptian embassies and the Foreign Ministry in the lead-up to the march.
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