Detentions Disrupt Gaza March as Egypt's Security Forces Mobilize

In a startling development, three participants of the Global March to Gaza were allegedly abducted by plainclothes officers in Cairo amidst a surge of arbitrary detentions, deportations, and reported abuses by security forces. Egypt's interior and foreign ministries have yet to respond to these serious allegations.

The Global March to Gaza has drawn over 4,000 activists from more than 80 countries in an effort to peacefully approach the Rafah border crossing to highlight the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Participants have experienced interrogations, deportations, and are met with roadblocks that hinder their access to the Sinai peninsula, which serves as the land route to Gaza.

Organizers claimed that three individuals, including Jonas Selhi, Huthayfa Abuserriya, and Saif Abukeshek, were forcefully detained at a Cairo cafe by unidentified security officers. Reports suggest that Selhi and Abuserriya have since been deported, while Abukeshek remains missing after purportedly suffering severe abuse. This incident has led organizers to suspend their plans within Egypt and seek cooperation with local authorities, despite previously attempting to coordinate through official channels.

(With inputs from agencies.)