Among those arrested are people from the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Morocco and Algeria, according to the organizers of the demonstration for the news agency AFP.
At a press conference on Wednesday, it was claimed that 4,000 participants were expected to attend the march to the Rafah border crossing on Friday. However, some of them were reportedly arrested already at the airport or at their hotels in Cairo.
After questioning, some were arrested while others were released, says spokesperson Saif Abukeshek.
The activists had planned to travel by bus to the Sinai Peninsula and walk the last five miles to the border crossing.
Israel, which attacked Gaza after the Hamas terrorist attacks in October 2023, is said to have urged Egyptian authorities to "prevent jihadist demonstrators" from reaching the border. This would pose a risk to the safety of Israeli soldiers, according to Defense Minister Israel Katz.
Egypt's Foreign Ministry has said that it supports efforts to "pressure Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza". However, foreign delegations planning to visit the border area must apply for this and obtain formal permits.
