Letter: Egypt workers ready to explode
Working-class Egyptians form the backbone of the country’s labor force in sectors like construction, agriculture, manufacturing, and informal services. They are experiencing profound economic strain amid the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
As of September 2025, Israel’s military operations are intensifying in Gaza City. A UN commission has confirmed acts of genocide. Reactions among the working class blend deep solidarity with Palestinians, widespread anger toward Israel, and frustration with their own government’s treacherous inaction.
These sentiments are expressed mainly online or in private, due to severe government crackdowns on public protests. They could escalate into broader unrest given Egypt’s dire economic situation. There is 45% youth unemployment, hyperinflation, and widespread inability to afford basic household needs.
Public demonstrations are rare and heavily suppressed. But social media and anecdotal reports reveal a boiling undercurrent of outrage.
For instance, ordinary Egyptians, including workers, loudly reject Israeli proposals for Palestinian displacement into Sinai. They view it as a threat and a potential “new Nakba.”
This is amplified by the regime’s rhetorical hardening. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called Israel’s actions “genocide” in early September. But in reality, it masks complicity in restricting aid flows.
We are distributing Red Flag very carefully in the area where we live, not far from the Gaza border. I have a few comrades who are very passionate about communism. But they want action.
People are absolutely disgusted, enraged, and ready to explode at any moment.
The president is a paper tiger. He can only survive by duplicity. The harder he tries, the sooner the social explosion.
It happened in Nepal. And the world is ripe for many such revolutions. Every day is an opportunity for us to turn the guns around for a final push to end these tottering regimes around the world.
—Comrade in Egypt
