[News] North African convoy for Gaza reports mistreatment in eastern Libya by Haftar forces

[Anti-Imperialist News]

middleeasteye.net
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gaza-north-african-solidarity-convoy-reports-mistreatment-arrests-eastern-libya>
North African convoy for Gaza reports mistreatment in eastern Libya by
Haftar forces
MEE staff
June 16, 2025
------------------------------

A North African aid convoy that departed
<https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1356659978744718> from Tunisia
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/tunisia> to break the Israeli
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel> siege of Gaza
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/palestine> has reported that its
activists were mistreated and arrested in eastern Libya
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/libya> during the weekend.

The "Sumud" Convoy
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/north-africa-convoy-heads-gaza-break-israel-siege>,
which means "steadfastness" in Arabic, departed from Tunis on 9 June,
consisting of about 10 buses, a hundred cars, and thousands of volunteers
from Morocco <https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/morocco>, Tunisia,
Algeria <https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/algeria> and Mauritania
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/mauritania>, among others.

Participants include trade union and political figures, as well as human
rights activists, athletes, lawyers, doctors, journalists and members of
youth organisations. It aims to raise international awareness about the
humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s war
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/topics/israel-war-gaza> on the Palestinian
enclave and deliver aid.
Stopped in eastern Libya

The convoy was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd in Tripoli on Wednesday
when, according to local media, residents offered food, accommodation and
fuel.

But organisers said on Sunday that while en route to Egypt
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/egypt>, the caravan was blocked in
Sirte by authorities from eastern Libya.

Since 2014, Libya has been divided
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/topics/libya-crisis> into two rival
administrations in the east and west of the country. The Government of
National Unity, backed by the UN, is based in Tripoli and led by Prime
Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh; its rival, the House of Representatives, is
based in Tobruk and dominated by General Khalifa Haftar.

The caravan retreated
<https://libyaobserver.ly/news/after-haftars-forces-tighten-restrictions-sirte-sumood-convoy-returns-misrata>
to
near Misrata in western Libya after it encountered Haftar officials in
Sirte, which is under his control.

<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/north-africa-convoy-heads-gaza-break-israel-siege>

North African 'resilience convoy' heads to Gaza, aiming to break Israel's
siege

Read More »
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/north-africa-convoy-heads-gaza-break-israel-siege>

In a statement on Saturday, the Joint Action Coordination Committee for
Palestine, the organiser of the convoy, said
<https://www.businessnews.com.tn/affames-isoles-arretes--la-caravane-al-soumoud-prise-au-piege-en-libye,520,148941,3>
they had been facing a "military blockade" and "a methodical siege” at the
entrance to Sirte since Friday.

The statement accused Haftar's authorities of not only blocking the
convoy's advance but also isolating it by cutting off communication and the
internet. Haftar's forces are also accused of preventing the delivery of
food, water and medical supplies to the approximately 1,500 participants.

A support caravan, organised by Libyan citizens in solidarity, was forcibly
stopped from entering Sirte.

The organisers also denounced the arrest of participants, including at
least three bloggers documenting the caravan's journey since its departure. The
trhee arrested participants have been identified as Tunisian Ala Ben Amara
and Algerians Bilal Ourtani and Zidane Nezar. They have been accused of
posting "offensive videos" and reportedly denied contact with lawyers or
family.

Wael Nawar, the spokesperson for the caravan, said
<https://www.businessnews.com.tn/wael-nawar-affirme-avoir-ete-enleve-et-agresse-par-les-autorites-de-lest-libyen,520,148944,3>
on Facebook on Saturday that he had been kidnapped, violently assaulted and
robbed of his money by Haftar-allied authorities.

In another statement on Sunday, the organisers demanded the immediate
release of 13 participants still detained by the eastern Libyan
authorities. According to the statement, one officer even threatened
participants at gunpoint during one of the arrests.
Egypt and UAE, allies of Haftar

Some Libyan news websites have suggested
<https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20250614-la-caravane-et-la-marche-en-solidarit%C3%A9-avec-gaza-stopp%C3%A9es-en-libye-et-en-%C3%A9gypte>
that the convoy was stopped at the entrance to Sirte after pressure from
Egypt.

Cairo said on Wednesday that any form of pro-Palestinian action by "foreign
delegations" on its territory required "prior authorisation". That same
day, Israel urged Egyptian authorities to ban any "act of provocation” by
pro-Palestinian activists on their territory and any “attempted entry into
Gaza”.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has previously been a key backer of
Haftar, although they are on opposite sides of the war in Sudan
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/sudan>, which is raging on both
countries’ southern borders.

<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-detains-and-deports-pro-palestine-activists-hundreds-arrive-cairo-gaza-march>

Egypt detains nearly 200 foreigners who flew in to join Gaza march

Read More »
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-detains-and-deports-pro-palestine-activists-hundreds-arrive-cairo-gaza-march>

But the two men are nevertheless allied to the UAE, which has backed them
financially before and is a key Arab ally of Israel.

The Sumud convoy is part of the larger Global March to Gaza
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/what-activists-hope-to-achieve-global-march-for-gaza>
movement, which includes around 4,000 activists from around 80 countries.

Both movements were expected to coordinate in Egypt before marching to the
Rafah crossing. The Global March was blocked on Friday by Egyptian
authorities as it tried to reach Ismailia, 45km east of Cairo.

AFP reported that on Friday, during police operations at various
checkpoints, dozens of activists were intercepted
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-detains-and-deports-pro-palestine-activists-hundreds-arrive-cairo-gaza-march>,
sometimes assaulted, and their passports confiscated, before being forcibly
put on buses.

Several dozen activists were later freed in Cairo, while others remain in
custody, according to organisers.

French-Palestinian participant Sami, who came with his father and a friend
from Paris, expressed
<https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20250614-la-caravane-et-la-marche-en-solidarit%C3%A9-avec-gaza-stopp%C3%A9es-en-libye-et-en-%C3%A9gypte>
his anger to RFI radio.

"It makes me feel ashamed for this Egyptian government to be stuck here
while a genocide is taking place. We're all here peacefully to break this
blockade and bring in humanitarian aid, and now we see how we're being
welcomed. It's a disgrace. It's disgusting complicity."
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