June 2025 – In an unprecedented act of international solidarity, over 4,000 individuals from more than 80 countries have launched a global march to Gaza, aiming to reach the besieged Palestinian territory on foot via Egypt’s Rafah border crossing. The initiative, titled “The Global March to Gaza,” is being organized by a coalition of international trade unions, human rights groups, and solidarity movements in response to what they describe as a “man-made humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza, under Israeli siege since October 2023.
About a year ago, Republican politicians suggested that American citizens who are protesting the genocide in Gaza be sent to Gaza; it would seem some are doing just that now.
A Humanitarian Crisis in Focus
Led by the International Coalition Against Israeli Occupation, the march is a civilian response to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Gaza, where over two million residents face famine, medical shortages, and a near-total blockade. The organizers cite starvation being used as a weapon and the systematic targeting of civilians, especially children, as central motivations for this extraordinary mobilization.
Thousands of aid trucks, loaded with food, medicine, and fuel, have been stalled at the Rafah border for months. The marchers aim to physically escort and pressure for their immediate entry.
International Participation and Civil Mobilization
The march is uniquely global and grassroots. Delegations include European parliamentarians and civil society representatives from across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe. The “March to Gaza” has drawn support not only from Arab and Muslim communities but also from diverse backgrounds—doctors, lawyers, students, and humanitarian activists, many of whom are personally financing their participation.
Groups such as the Catalan alternative union (IAC), Irish human rights activists, and legal advocates like German lawyer Melanie Schweizer emphasize the peaceful and volunteer-based nature of the march. According to spokesperson Karen Moynihan of the Irish group, this is “a civilian cry against genocide,” calling for an end to complicity by silence.
Objectives of the March
The organizers have laid out five primary goals:
- Stop the Genocide: Pressure the international community to halt ongoing Israeli violations against Palestinians, particularly the deliberate starvation of civilians.
- Immediate Humanitarian Access: Demand the entry of urgent aid through Rafah without restrictions, emphasizing the thousands of trucks already waiting at the border.
- End the Siege: Advocate for the unconditional lifting of the Israeli blockade, enabling sustainable access to essentials like water, food, fuel, and medicine.
- International Accountability: Urge global institutions to hold Israel accountable for violations of international law, and condemn governments that remain passive or complicit.
- Empower Civil Society: Amplify the voices of global civil society as a force of peaceful resistance, drawing inspiration from historical solidarity movements and emphasizing non-violent civilian action.
Path to Gaza: A Difficult but Symbolic Route
Participants began arriving in Cairo in early June, ahead of a final push towards Gaza. The “Caravan of Steadfastness,” a land convoy from Algeria and Tunisia, is scheduled to merge with the larger group in Egypt’s northern Sinai region. From the city of Al-Arish, the coalition will begin its march on foot to the Rafah crossing, where they plan to stage a peaceful sit-in until aid is allowed in.
Organizers acknowledge the challenges of marching through desert terrain but insist it pales in comparison to the suffering endured by Gazans over the past 20 months.
A Message of Peace and Global Conscience
The march is deliberately unaffiliated with any government, military force, or political party. It is presented as a civilian-led, peaceful protest meant to convey the global demand for justice, humanity, and dignity for Palestinians.
“This is not just a march to Gaza,” said organizer Saif Abu Khashk. “It is a march for humanity itself.”
As international attention turns toward Rafah, the Global March to Gaza represents a striking moment in modern civil action—where borders, languages, and politics are set aside in the name of urgent humanitarian relief and moral accountability. Whether or not it succeeds in breaking the blockade, the march has already sent a clear message: the world is watching, and civil society is rising.
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