In an unprecedented move, a coalition of trade unions, human rights groups, and solidarity movements from over 32 countries has launched the “Global March to Gaza”, aiming to enter the besieged Strip on foot. The initiative responds to the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where a nearly 20-month Israeli siege has left over two million Palestinians on the brink of famine.
Saif Abu Kishk, president of the International Coalition Against Israeli Occupation, stated the march aims to stop the genocide being carried out by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF), deliver immediate humanitarian aid, and pressure for the total lifting of the blockade.
More than 10,000 people, mostly from Western countries, have already expressed interest in participating. Working groups have been set up globally to manage logistics and media outreach in multiple languages.
Key objectives of the march:
- Stop the Genocide: End Israel’s systematic killing of Palestinians and the use of starvation as a weapon.
- Deliver Urgent Aid: Push for immediate entry of food, water, medicine, and fuel into Gaza, especially through the Rafah crossing, where thousands of aid trucks have been blocked.
- Break the Siege: Demand a permanent humanitarian corridor and the unconditional lifting of the blockade.
- Expose IOF Crimes: Mobilize global civil society to challenge international silence and pressure governments to act.
- Accountability: Urge legal action against individuals and states involved in violations of international law.
German lawyer Melanie Schweizer emphasized the peaceful nature of the march, describing it as a civil society effort inspired by historic acts of international solidarity. Participants, all volunteers, are self-funding their involvement.
Route and logistics
Participants will gather in Cairo starting June 12, then head to Al-Arish and proceed on foot toward the Gaza border. The coalition has divided marchers into regional groups to overcome language and logistical barriers.
The group plans to camp at the Rafah crossing as a form of peaceful pressure to open the border and let aid through. “If Gazans can survive months without food or medicine, we can handle the desert road to support them,” said Abu Kishk.
Organizers have contacted Egyptian embassies and officially requested cooperation from the Egyptian government, emphasizing support for Egypt’s stated efforts to stop the genocide.
Relief supplies and coordination
The march seeks to unblock 3,000 aid trucks stranded at the border. Abu Kishk said these supplies—food, medicine, and fuel—are vital to preventing mass death from starvation in Gaza.
The initiative also coordinates with groups like the Overland Convoy to Break the Siege (Sumoud) and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
International support and accountability
Karen Moynihan, spokesperson for the Irish delegation, clarified that the initiative does not blame Egypt but seeks cooperation to intensify pressure on Israel. She added that the goal is to hold Israel accountable for deliberately starving over two million people and to confront global complicity.
This effort follows Israel’s controversial decision to allow a private company to deliver aid in the Gaza Strip—an approach rejected by the UN for failing to meet humanitarian needs and for tying aid to political and military agendas.