The following story appeared on ABC news radio a few hours ago about our presence in Cairo for the Gaza Freedom March:
About a dozen Australians are among hundreds of protesters banned by Egyptian authorities from travelling across the Sinai Desert to the Gaza Strip.
About 1,300 international activists are in Cairo still hoping to march to and through the Egyptian border with Gaza for a protest against Israel’s ongoing blockade of the tiny enclave.
One Australian man was detained briefly when he tried to reach the border.
An 85-year-old Holocaust survivor, Hedy Epstein, is among a group who has begun a hunger strike as part of their protest.
It is 12 months this week since Israel began bombing Gaza, a war it says was justified to stop the launch of missiles by Palestinian militants into southern Israel.