Thousands of activists from around the world are expected to descend on Egypt on Thursday for a “Global March to Gaza,” a movement aiming to break the Israeli blockade that has pushed the territory to the brink of famine.

Gaza activists from entering the country and sent them back to Germany, sources at Cairo airport said. The activists are part of a global protest campaign that plans to go to Egypt's Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian enclave.

French doctor Baptiste André was one of 11 crew members aboard the Madleen, an aid boat that was recently seized by Israeli authorities as it attempted to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Despite feeling fear after the vessel was boarded by soldiers,

Their boat was intercepted on Monday as they attempted to break Israel's naval blockade on Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid.

Israel has imposed a naval blockade on Gaza since Hamas took control of the coastal enclave in 2007. It tightened its grip significantly after Hamas-led militants rampaged through southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, by Israeli tallies.