3 weeks Ago
Activists from 32 countries were scheduled to participate, but many were detained at Cairo airport and denied entry and others were deported to Istanbul. Others stayed behind in Egypt on passport control, and the fate of the expected march was uncertain.
Dutch Attendees Discuss Their Experiences
One of those present was Katja van Rennes, a Dutch national, who shared her disappointment from Istanbul. She said she had wanted to come to show support for the people of Gaza. “We are here along with activists of all types of countries,” she said. Another Dutch citizen, Laleh Almarjani, also wound up in Istanbul after being held for hours in Cairo. She described a harrowing experience in which passports and phones were confiscated, and security forces carried heavy arms.
Both activists said they were being treated well by authorities in Turkey, who were helping them return home.
March Planned to Draw Attention to Gaza Crisis
The protest — organized by peace and social justice groups — drew attention to the dire conditions in Gaza, where famine has been accelerating. And while aid is now permitted in small measures, thousands of residents remain without, the result of chaotic distribution and security risks, including reports of shootings and looting during aid distributions. To bring attention to this crisis, he said, he would make a 48-kilometer walk over three days.
Family Connection to Current Work in Gaza
"My brother, Mark van Rennes, was at the same time also arrested by the Israeli police," Katja van Rennes said. Mark was the captain of the Madleen, an Israeli board ship and he also remains in custody. She had been informed by his lawyer that he could be flown back to the Netherlands the following morning. “We’ve been very concerned but I hope to see him at Schiphol tomorrow,” she added.
