LAST UPDATE | 12 Jun

PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT TD Paul Murphy has arrived in Cairo, Egypt this evening after Irish citizens were among a group of over 200 pro-Palestinian activists detain by authorities last night.

Murphy, a Dublin South-West TD, is joining a group of activists who intend to conduct a three-day peaceful march to the Rafah crossing – a border checkpoint between Egypt and Gaza.

A spokesperson for the Global March to Gaza confirmed this morning that over 200 people were detained by Egyptian authorities, following a request by Israel to prevent people from making the march.

Asked if there were Irish citizens among those detained, the Department of Foreign Affairs told The Journal it “has been contacted by a small number of Irish citizens and is providing consular assistance”. 

People Before Profit’s Murphy said that he has arrived in Cairo this evening, adding that authorities had not detained anyone upon his arrival.

Arrived safely at Cairo airport and on way to town to join the #GlobalMarchToGaza. Nobody being detained and deported this evening.

Pressure on Egyptian government is clearly working. Keep it up demanding that we can march and call for the starvation of Gaza to be ended. pic.twitter.com/nSPwiwxt79

— Paul Murphy 🏳️‍⚧️ (@paulmurphy_TD) June 12, 2025

Egypt said yesterday that it supports efforts to put “pressure on Israel” to lift its blockade of Gaza, but that any delegation seeking to visit the border area would need prior approval.

Its decision to detain activists has been met with criticism that it is assisting Israel in blocking the free passage of aid to the Palestinian region. Demonstrators from around the world have been arriving in Cairo this week, with dozens of Irish people among them.

Pressure on authorities ‘working’

“Pressure on Egyptian government is clearly working,” he said on X  “Keep up demanding that we can march and call for the starvation of Gaza to be ended.”

The TD said earlier: “This is a peaceful march to Rafah to demand that humanitarian aid be allowed through to the population in Gaza that is being starved by Israel.”

“There is no reason why any participant should be detained,” Murphy said today. “The Irish government must contact their Egyptian counterparts to insist that participants from Ireland should be permitted to join this peaceful march.”

Some activists were detained at Cairo International Airport last night. Alamy, file Alamy, file

Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger raised the matter in the Dáil this afternoon with Tánaiste and foreign affairs minister Simon Harris. She asked if the Irish government would assist with citizens detained at the airport.

Harris said his department is aware of the detentions and are “monitoring the situation very closely”. He said he has asked that the Irish embassy in Egypt maintain communication with his department.

“The protection and well-being of any Irish citizen in any part of the world is something my Department and the Government takes extremely seriously and I will be keeping a close eye on this,” he told the Dáil.

Three-day march begins tomorrow

Global March to Gaza participants plan to gather in Cairo tomorrow before travelling by bus the following day to Al Arish, where they will begin their 48km march to the besieged Palestinian territory to the north of Egypt’s Sinai region.

The demonstrators have said they do not plan to try and enter Gaza and will camp at the border for three days before returning to Cairo on 19 June.

The march’s spokesperson said those detained also included nationals from the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Morocco and Algeria.

Those taking part in the event who arrived in neighbouring Libya were welcomed by locals, it added.

Plainclothes police entered hotels in Cairo yesterday with lists of names, the group alleges. Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz labelled the group “jihadist protesters” yesterday and claimed the march would endanger Israeli soldiers.

Authorities questioned activists and in some cases confiscated mobile phones and searched personal belongings. Some were arrested following their detention, a spokesperson for the activist group aid.  

With reporting fromAFP