What began as a desire to participate in the “March to Gaza” has turned into an ordeal for several dozen Greeks, who are currently at Cairo Airport.

Specifically, according to reports, 26 individuals arrived in Cairo early in the morning with the aim of heading to the Rafah crossing. However, the Egyptian authorities did not allow them to enter the country. As a result, local authorities are arranging their return to Greece.

Reportedly, all individuals are in good health. The Greek Consul General, Symeon Linardakis, is heading to the location and is in contact with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Meanwhile, as of yesterday, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a statement urging those participating in the initiative to follow the instructions of local authorities and also provided emergency contact numbers.

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

“Greek citizens who intend to participate in the ‘March to Gaza,’ departing from Cairo on June 13 toward the Rafah crossing, are kindly requested, for security reasons, to follow the instructions of local authorities.

In case of emergency, please contact the General Consulate of Greece in Cairo (emergency phone: ‪‪‪00201220940119‬‬, email: [email protected]) and the General Consulate of Greece in Alexandria (emergency phone: ‪‪00201272045556‬‬, email: [email protected]).”

On Wednesday morning, the Facebook page “March to Gaza Greece” posted an extensive message on social media stating that the Greeks “being held” are “dozens” and that they have “all the necessary legal travel documents, have broken no law, and followed every legal procedure for entry into the country.”

The post also stated: “The Egyptian authorities must know that, as has been clearly expressed, the participants will only take part in the event if legal permits are obtained and in cooperation with the Egyptian authorities.”

What the Egyptian Authorities Say

At the same time, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement outlining the regulations that must be followed by those wishing to participate in the March to Gaza.

According to the statement:
“The Arab Republic of Egypt welcomes the international and regional positions—both official and popular—that support Palestinian rights and reject the blockade, starvation, and the grave and systematic violations of the rights of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip by Israel.”

The statement goes on to stress that “Egypt confirms that the only way for the Egyptian authorities to continue reviewing such requests is through compliance with the regulatory procedures and mechanism in place since the beginning of the war in Gaza. This includes submitting an official request either to Egyptian embassies abroad or through foreign embassies in Cairo and organizational representatives to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is noted that numerous visits by foreign delegations—both governmental and from human rights NGOs—have been organized in the past.”