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PRO-PALESTINIAN ACTIVISTS ON a march aiming to break Israel’s Gaza blockade have retreated to the Misrata region of western Libya after being blocked by the authorities in the country’s east, organisers said Sunday.
The “Soumoud” convoy – meaning steadfastness in Arabic – decided to fall back to near Misrata, about 200 kilometres east of Tripoli, after being stopped by the eastern authorities.
Misrata is administered by the UN-recognised Government of National Unity based in Tripoli, while the east is controlled by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
The convoy of more than 1,000 people from Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia had been under a “military blockade” since Friday at the entrance to Sirte, a Haftar-controlled area.
Organisers said they were subjected to a “systematic siege”, with no access to food, water or medicine and communications severely disrupted.
They also denounced the arrest of several convoy members, including at least three bloggers who had been documenting its journey since its departure from Tunisia on 9 June.
In a statement cited by Tunisia’s La Presse newspaper, the Joint Action Coordination Committee for Palestine – the group behind the convoy – demanded the immediate release of 13 participants still held by eastern Libyan authorities.
In an accompanying video, it reaffirmed its intention to continue the mission to Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt, with the aim of “breaking the blockade and ending the genocide of the Palestinian people resisting in Gaza”.
In Egypt, a separate initiative - the Global March to Gaza, intended to bring together participants from 80 countries – was halted on Friday by authorities en route to the city of Ismailia, east of Cairo.
Dozens of activists were intercepted, reportedly beaten, had passports confiscated, and were forcibly loaded onto buses by police at multiple checkpoints.
Irish TD Paul Murphy was detained by Egyptian authorities and had his passport ad phone confiscated alongside other activists.
He was subsequently released and told The Journal yesterday evening that he and the group he is marching with have been discussing their options and intend to proceed with the march to whatever extent is possible.
Includes reporting by Emma Hickey
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