London: Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators in European countries held rallies and marches Saturday in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, demanding an end to Israeli attacks on the enclave. Brits took to the streets in London to protest the attacks and demand an immediate ceasefire as part of the 30th National March for Palestine.
According to Philippines News Agency, hundreds of thousands marched towards the Prime Minister’s Office from central Russell Square under the theme: “Stop Starving Gaza.” Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), one of the organizers of nationwide pro-Palestine rallies, wrote on X before the protest that Israel is starving Palestinians in Gaza to death. The organization called for government action to stop what they described as genocide by Israel. Carrying Palestinian flags, the crowd shouted slogans criticizing the British government “for being complicit” in the genocide.
In Stockholm, hundreds protested Israeli plans to occupy Gaza City. The demonstrators gathered in the Odenplan area with signs denouncing Israeli attacks and US support for Israel. They later marched toward the Foreign Ministry. Israel’s Security Cabinet had approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s occupation plans on Friday, which have been widely opposed.
Meanwhile, many took to the streets in Amsterdam to protest the plan and Western support for Israel. The demonstration demanded immediate unrestricted aid delivery into Gaza. The Health Ministry in Gaza reported that 21 Palestinians have been killed and more than 341 injured while trying to get humanitarian aid in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed while seeking aid to 1,743, with over 12,590 wounded since May 27. In addition, 11 people, including children, have died in the past 24 hours due to famine and malnutrition, raising the death toll from starvation to 212, including 98 children.
Several pro-Palestine rallies were also held in Spain, including Madrid, to protest Israeli attacks and starvation in Gaza. Carrying Palestinian flags, protesters shouted “End to genocide” in Madrid, while some banged pots and pans to protest the starvation in the besieged Palestinian enclave. Thousands gathered at Jardin Anglais in Geneva to protest famine- and malnutrition-related deaths in Gaza resulting from the Israeli blockade. The crowd staged a sit-in while protesting Israeli attacks, shouting in multiple languages, and banging pots and pans to raise awareness about the starvation in Gaza. The demonstrators demanded an end to international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians.
The Israeli army resumed attacks on Gaza on March 18, resulting in 9,862 deaths and 40,809 injuries, breaking a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement from January. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
