Screenshot from a video uploaded to YouTube by Al Jazeera Arabic showing the Al Soumoud Convoy. Fair use
As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifies — driven by what United Nations experts have characterized as a man‑made famine caused by Israel’s blockade — solidarity movements across North Africa have attempted to deliver aid and raise awareness. Egypt, which shares a sealed border with Gaza, has been widely criticized for curbing popular support, enforcing strict border controls, and repressing activists seeking to challenge the siege.
No place for solidarity
The North African Al Soumoud convoy, composed of activists, lawyers, medical professionals, and civil society members, set off from Tunisia on June 9, aiming for Gaza via Libya and Egypt’s Rafah crossing. With about 1,500 participants, the convoy embodies a wider effort to break the Israeli‑led blockade and protest the famine’s devastating impact on Gaza’s two million residents.
Egyptian authorities, however, have enforced stringent rules. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement requiring any foreign delegation to obtain prior approval and permits via embassies or the Foreign Ministry, warning that “no requests … will be considered outside the framework specified by the regulatory provisions.” The message was clear: without express permission, the convoy cannot approach the Rafah border.
Despite growing international attention, Egypt reportedly denied entry to international activists and detained or deported those trying to reach Gaza. Although local media have not detailed individual cases, the blanket policy has been pointedly described by rights organizations.
A June 2025 report by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) documented the crackdown targeting Palestine solidarity, reporting ongoing arrests, which included over 150 supporters, three of whom were under 18 when arrested. According to the report, since the beginning of the Israeli war on Gaza in October 2023, and the ongoing genocide against Palestinians there, Egyptian security forces have arrested 186 people, distributed across 16 Supreme State Security cases, all accused of “terrorism,” for attempting to peacefully express their support for Palestinians in Gaza.
Online justifications and backlash
Alongside state repression, Egypt’s pro-government social media ecosystem has played a significant role in framing solidarity with Gaza as a national security threat. Influential regime-aligned commentators and accounts circulated narratives suggesting that convoys like the North African mission were a cover for foreign interference or efforts to destabilize Egypt’s internal order. Some even claimed these actions were conspiracies meant to “embarrass” Egypt internationally.
These justifications triggered widespread backlash online, especially from Egyptian and Arab civil society actors. This digital tug-of-war reflects deeper tensions within Egyptian society: between a regime obsessed with control and a public increasingly frustrated with its complicity in regional injustices.
Critics argue that Cairo is complicit in the humanitarian crisis. Thousands of trucks remain stranded at Rafah despite a dire shortage of essentials. Furthermore, an investigation traced a profiteering network tied to regime‑connected figures, purportedly charging Palestinians exorbitant fees — thousands of USD — to exit Gaza.
A siege in international waters
In a parallel effort to break the blockade, a boat named “Madleen” carrying 12 international activists was intercepted by Israeli naval forces on June 4, in international waters as it sailed toward Gaza. The activists were forcibly kidnapped, detained, and taken to Israeli prisons, a move widely condemned by international legal experts and human rights advocates as a violation of maritime and humanitarian law.
Among the detainees were high-profile figures such as Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. The boat was part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s ongoing attempts to challenge Israel’s siege through civil disobedience at sea.
The interception and imprisonment of elected officials and human rights defenders drew widespread criticism, yet no significant diplomatic consequences have followed, emblematic of the international community’s inaction and double standards regarding Israel’s violations of international law.
This lack of enforcement has only deepened what many describe as Israel’s “pariah” status in global civil society. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found that the situation in Gaza presents a “plausible case of genocide,” obliging states to act to prevent further atrocities.
Repression in the name of security
Egypt’s broader pattern of crackdowns is well‑documented. High‑profile detainees like Alaa Abd El‑Fattah, held beyond his sentence and denied consular access, highlight the regime’s intolerance for dissent. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly denounced Egypt’s measures as part of a wave of repression targeting activists, journalists, researchers, and lawyers.
Egypt’s actions — border closures, arrests, deportations, profiteering, and denial of solidarity efforts — highlight a clear policy of containment. Under the pretext of national security and diplomatic stability, the regime is actively preventing humanitarian engagements and criminalizing solidarity, a stance that has sparked domestic dissent and international condemnation.
The suppression of Palestine solidarity serves dual aims for Cairo: it aligns with the government’s tight internal control and supports its diplomatic posture as a cautious regional mediator whose stability is considered essential by Western partners.
As the North African convoy makes its way to the Libyan-Egyptian borders on its way to the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, and activists face barriers both on land and sea, Egypt’s strategy continues to attract scrutiny. Activists, aid organizations, and legal experts are urging accountability, not just of Israel’s blockade, but of regional enablers like Egypt.
