Has Gaza reawakened the Egyptian revolutionary spirit?

It has been more than two months since October 7 and Israel's subsequent bombardment of the Gaza Strip, with Egypt and Qatar emerging as key regional players in the global call for a ceasefire. 

Egypt's opening of the Rafah crossing has allowed critical humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, though most of the aid has not reached those in need.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian government has insisted that the Israeli Sinai plan is a non-starter and has deployed tanks to the border in an attempt to deter Israel's plans of ethnic cleansing. 

"In 2011, we took to the square to end oppression in Egypt and create a new society based on justice and equality. The situation in Palestine is no different"

In Cairo, police have been mobilised with anti-riot gear and heavy armour to prevent the Egyptian masses from revolting in support of Palestine. Yet as news continues to trickle through from Gaza, revolutionary sentiments among the Egyptian public continue to grow. 

For Egyptians, the Palestinian cause is close to their hearts, and no one can stop talking about their Palestinian brothers and sisters across the border.

It is a struggle that many Egyptians have known since they were children - they believe they are directly and intimately involved in Palestine's liberation.

As such, the feeling on the streets of Cairo today is one of sadness, rage, and helplessness, particularly with those involved in the Egyptian revolution who believe they have a responsibility to bring change and awareness. 

"As a revolutionary, I feel deeply connected," said George Seif, a doctor who was involved in organising first aid spots and field hospitals during the 2011 Egyptian revolution.

"The difference between a revolutionary and someone who is not is that you have the capacity and the voice to question the institutions, the government, the army and the media, and move accordingly. In 2011, we took to the square to end oppression in Egypt and create a new society based on justice and equality. The situation in Palestine is no different."

The events of October 7th have spiralled into a war of genocide. "Nobody wants violence," George explains to The New Arab. "Though sometimes it can be a wake-up call to challenge the status quo and bring more people to re-evaluate their perception of the situation, discuss labels, and attribute responsibilities."

Genocide is a word that echoes through Egypt, and Egyptians are steadfast in their support of the Palestinian struggle for freedom.

Furthermore, the Israeli plan that has been touted to displace Gazans into the Sinai region has been firmly shut down. The outcome is perceived to be catastrophic: hundreds of thousands, if not millions of vulnerable Palestinians, displaced from their home once again with nothing beyond humanitarian aid to survive, living in camps and unable to return home. 

"We forget that at the end of the day, Gaza is a very narrow strip by the sea with an extremely dense population," Tamer, a film director who participated in the 2011 Egyptian revolution reminded The New Arab.

"The people that live there are not militants, they are innocent civilians. They don't have a say in what's going on, but they are the ones who are paying the ultimate price."

"You don't need to be a revolutionary to care about Palestinians in Gaza," says Tamer. "It's about being human and humane, empathy doesn't work with political agenda. There are families in Egypt and around the world that see kids like theirs being killed one after another."

"What can we do?" asks Tamer. "We write posts on Instagram and social media, and we talk about it, but does that help? We must push our governments to bring more aid to Gaza or to cut diplomatic relations."

Ines Della Valle is an Italian freelance multimedia journalist who focuses on covering humanitarian and social issues

Follow her on Instagram: @ines.dv