Katz expects Egypt to block aid convoy from reaching Gaza by land

Israeli Defense Minister Katz directs the Israel Defense Forces to prevent a convoy of pro-Palestinian activists from reaching the Gaza Strip.

By David Brummer, World Israel News

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz has directed the Israel Defense Forces to prevent a convoy of pro-Palestinian activists from reaching the Gaza Strip, amid growing concern over the group’s planned arrival at the Rafah border crossing, i24NEWS, an Israeli TV channel, reported on Wednesday evening.

The convoy — dubbed the “Maghreb Resilience Convoy” or “Soumoud Convoy” — began its journey on Monday from Tunis, with more than 7,000 participants and around 300 vehicles.

The protest caravan includes activists from Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya and is expected to enter Egypt on Thursday before arriving at Rafah in the coming days.

Organizers say the convoy’s mission is to deliver food and humanitarian supplies to Gaza and press for the opening of a humanitarian corridor.

The action is part of the broader “Global March to Gaza,” set to culminate in a 48-kilometer trek from El-Arish to Rafah from June 15–19, with 2,500 activists from over 50 countries expected to participate.

But Israeli officials view the convoy as a potential security threat. Katz warned that the protest could spark confrontations along the border and endanger both IDF troops and the demonstrators themselves.

“I expect the Egyptian authorities to prevent the arrival of jihadist demonstrators at the Egyptian-Israeli border,” Katz said in a statement on Wednesday night.

He claimed the group shares ideological affinities with Hamas and seeks not only to provide aid but also to bolster Hamas’s position in Gaza.

Katz urged Cairo to intervene before the activists reach Rafah, warning that their presence could destabilize Egypt and other moderate Arab governments.

“If Egypt does not stop them,” he added, “Israel will act to ensure the convoy does not reach Gaza.”

The Rafah crossing is the only gateway into Gaza from Egyptian-controlled Sinai. Gaza is under blockade by both Israel and Egypt due to Hamas’s control of the territory.

Organizers said their stay in Rafah would depend on permission from Egyptian authorities and emphasized plans to coordinate with NGOs, diplomats, and aid groups to open the crossing.

Pro-Hamas groups globally have rallied around the initiative.

Students for Justice in Palestine in Amsterdam announced it would join the march and launched a fundraiser to fly members to Cairo.