TWO Palestine activists from Belfast say they are proud of their act of solidarity with the besieged people, despite being forced to return home early from the Global March to Gaza.
Marie McNally, a well-known BDS activist from Poleglass, and North Belfast man Fra Hughes, volunteer director of the Palestine Aid Charity, were amongst a delegation of around 50 people from Ireland who travelled to Cairo to take part in the protest to draw attention to the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
The peaceful initiative called for immediate humanitarian access to the besieged region and an end to the 19-month onslaught on Gaza.
The Irish group converged in Cairo before attempting to march across the Sinai Desert to the Rafah border crossing.
The protestors had intended to travel to the northern city of Arish, then walk 30 miles through the northern Sinai desert towards the Rafah crossing on Sunday.
Instead, Fra and Marie were forced to abandon their march and were sent back to Cairo.
"When we arrived in Cairo, we realised the Egyptian authorities were not supporting us and would not allow us to complete the journey," said Marie.
"We got to a checkpoint near the north-eastern city of Ismailia. The Egyptian police then made their move and encircled us.
"Some people left peacefully. Others were forcibly removed by the Bedouins, a group of nomadic Arab people who didn’t want us moving on to the Sinai Desert.
"We refused to move. There were about 15 of us left. I knew I wasn’t going to be attacked, being an older woman. We were detained for about eight hours.
“They started trailing people away bit by bit, and each time the police would move in closer.
"Eventually we were put on a minibus and sent back to Cairo. We were the last ones standing and we can be very proud of that."
Fra said despite a pushback from the Egyptian authorities, their act of solidarity was not a failure and was always about highlighting the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
"We went to show solidarity to the people of Gaza. We didn’t get to Rafah but it is not a failure," he said. "We met other activists and Palestinian people including refugees from camps. The people in Gaza knew about this international act of solidarity. This was all about them.
"We also exposed the complicity of the Egyptian government in the continued genocide of Gaza.
"I would have expected them to allow an international delegation to take part in a peaceful demonstration but they refused to allow it.
"I believe the Egyptian government was under international pressure not to allow any visible signs of support for Palestine. It will not deter us from voicing our continued support for the Palestinian people."
