Paul Murphy released after being detained in Egypt over Gaza protest march

In a new update, the People Before Profit TD said that he and the group he was detained with have been released, but that the Egyptian police still have their phones.

This week, thousands of people from around the world have been gathering in Cairo for the Global March to Gaza, intending to march through the Sinai Desert to the Rafah crossing in Gaza.

The demonstrators are aiming to put pressure on Israel to end the blockade of the Palestinian enclave.

Earlier this week, Murphy confirmed that he would be joining the march, writing on social media: "Thousands of participants from around the world are travelling to Egypt to participate in the Global March to Gaza. I am proud to be participating as part of the Irish delegation.

"This is people taking action because their governments refuse to act. Western governments, including the Irish government, have not only failed, but have been and continue to be complicit in Israel’s genocide."

However, after leaving Cairo, Murphy said he and the group he was travelling with had their passports confiscated by the Egyptian army.

"Everyone else who was here has had the same situation," he added.

"It's looking worrying that the Egyptian authorities are going to act to try to prevent our peaceful march to Gaza."

In a follow-up statement, the TD said he had been detained, explaining: "There's about 50 of us here. We arrived at the hostel we were due to stay at tonight.

"The minute we got out of our car, army was there, took our passports.

"It appears the Egyptian authorities have made a decision to follow the requests of the Israeli government.

"But there's like 50 of us here or so and there's thousands in total, so it's a small fraction that are detained or are likely to be detained.

"So, there's still hope. The main thing is to keep up the pressure on our own governments to put on the pressure on the Egyptian government to allow people to march, to call for an end to this, starvation, genocide, occupation."

Murphy later said that the Egyptian army wanted to put the TD and the group he was travelling with on a bus to be deported.

Despite having his phone then confiscated, the politician managed to pass on a message reading:

"I'm okay, but they still have my phone.

"Egyptian police say we're going to airport, but this isn't the road we came on because there are thousands of marchers on the streets. They're taking us south past a lake, then west to Cairo.

"Violence got worse after they seized my phone.

"One American woman in my group was badly kicked and beaten, and had her hijab torn off."

People Before Profit called on Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tánaiste Simon Harris to intervene and demand that Murphy is freed, that his passport and phone be returned and that the protesters are allowed to peacefully march to Gaza.

In a social media update on Saturday, Murphy confirmed he has been released from detention, writing: "We were finally released late last night at airport. Police still have our phones.

"We are back in Cairo and meeting shortly to decide next steps. We're focused on Israel's genocide and starvation of Gaza. Thanks for your support. Free Palestine."

Tánaiste Harris has also issued a statement about the detentions, which reads:

"I have spoken with the Embassy of Ireland Cairo and I can confirm that there are no Irish citizens currently in detention in Egypt relating to the march to Rafah.

"All Irish citizens have had their passports returned.

"A small number have not had their phones returned and our Embassy is pursuing this."

Images via Instagram/PaulMurphyTD