Activists marching to Gaza say were stopped in Libya, Egypt

Pro-Palestinian activists seeking to march to Gaza with the stated aim of breaking Israel's blockade on the territory were stopped Friday in both Libya and Egypt, organisers said.

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"Forty participants of the Global March to Gaza have had their passports taken at a checkpoint on the way out of Cairo," organisers said in a statement.

"They are being held in the heat and not allowed to move," the statement said, adding that another "15 are being held at hotels". The activists are from France, Spain, Canada, Turkey and the United Kingdom, it said.

"We are a peaceful movement and we are complying with Egyptian law." The group urged embassies to help secure their release so they could complete their voyage.

It later sent video footage to AFP showing Egyptian security forces intervening to break up impromptu sit-ins. Women were "molested and carried like cattle onto the bus", according to a message from Florence Heskia, one of the protesters stuck on the road.