Basma El Atti
Haftar authorities severed phone and internet services at the western Sirte checkpoint, leaving the Gaza convoy’s participants stranded in the desert.
Libyan security and military forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar’s eastern administration stopped a Gaza-bound convoy, known as the Somoud convoy, late on Thursday at the east entrance of Sirte, some 450 kilometres from Tripoli, demanding additional security clearance and cutting off internet services across the area where participants have since camped.
The convoy, consisting of 150 vehicles and approximately 1,700 activists, arrived at the Haftar-controlled checkpoint around 8 p.m. Local security officials told the convoy’s organisers, the Joint Action Coordination for Palestine, that they must await formal approval from authorities in Benghazi before proceeding.
Faced with the unexpected blockade, organisers decided to halt and camp by the roadside overnight. Checkpoint officials requested lists of participants’ names and passports, which were promptly provided; however, they have yet to issue a response. Seventeen hours later, the convoy remains stranded in a remote desert area.
In a public appeal, organisers called on Libyans for logistical support, including tents, water, and portable toilets, warning of the harsh conditions facing those who were forced to camp out. Meanwhile, authorities aligned with Haftar severed phone and internet services at the western Sirte checkpoint, forcing participants to move in shifts westward in search of connectivity to share updates and images.
“Some officials say we will be allowed to pass after a few hours; others claim that Egypt is refusing, and that passage is impossible. We have no clear information”, said Wael Naouar, a lead organiser. Initially, Libya’s eastern government welcomed the convoy in a statement early 12 June, praising the “brave initiative.” However, it requested the respect of “Egyptian regulations” governing visits to the volatile border region near Gaza.
On 11 June, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry reiterated that any visits to the area must be conducted through official channels, with prior approvals secured through Egyptian embassies or the ministry itself. Naouar said the group submitted an official entry request on 19 May and had met with Egypt’s ambassador in Tunis, accompanied by a Tunisian official close to the Egyptian government, prior to their departure.
While the convoy set out before receiving a final answer, organisers stressed that Egyptian authorities were informed of their plans. Since Wednesday, Egyptian authorities have detained and deported more than 200 activists upon their arrival at Cairo airport or from hotels in downtown Cairo, according to multiple participants who spoke to The New Arab.
Haftar, a warlord whose family wields significant political power in eastern Libya, is backed by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia. Cairo views Haftar as a crucial barrier against Islamist groups, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood, which it opposes domestically. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has regularly voiced support for Haftar’s campaign to “combat terrorism” and stabilise Libya.
A divided Libya challenges convoy’s
progress
The convoy’s organisers have carefully avoided political messaging about the Libyan authorities governing regions they traverse, urging participants to do the same. Libya remains deeply fractured following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
The country is divided between a UN-recognised government in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east controlled by Haftar’s faction. Organisers had anticipated delays crossing from western to eastern Libya due to heightened security and political tensions, but now worry that the internal conflict is seeping into the convoy’s camp.
“We have started noticing provocations from some Libyan individuals insisting on staying in the camp and causing disturbances,” said Ghassan Benkhelifa, an activist travelling with the convoy. “One repeatedly tried to board a bus despite opposition from the organising committee. We have complained to security personnel at the camp, but the behaviour continues. There are also frequent patrols by officers in uniform and civilian clothes.”
As of now, the convoy’s organisers continue to negotiate with Benghazi authorities. Meanwhile, in Egypt, authorities has tightened security at the Libya border, especially at al-Salloum, according to TNA’s correspondent in Cairo. Egyptian state-aligned media have persistently called for banning the convoy, and dismiss it as a “PR stunt designed to embarrass Egypt”, often associating it with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
Composed mainly of activists from across the Maghreb, the convoy is part of a broader grassroots effort to challenge Israel’s blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. It departed from Tunisia on 9 June and was planned to follow a route through western Libya, Sirte, Benghazi, and the Sallum border crossing. The goal was to reach the Rafah crossing by Sunday. “We are determined to move forward. We will not turn back or give up. Our goal is to reach Rafah, not to be stopped in Libya, Egypt, or anywhere else,” Naouar said.
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