Global Outcry: Mass Protests Across Continents Demand End to Two-Year Gaza War
Global Outcry: Mass Protests Across Continents Demand End to Two-Year Gaza War
Hundreds of thousands across Europe and the Middle East took to the streets this past weekend, vehemently denouncing Israel’s ongoing two-year military operation in Gaza. Demonstrators demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities, which has reportedly led to over 67,000 Palestinian fatalities and pushed the enclave to the brink of famine.
The largest demonstration occurred in Amsterdam, where an estimated 250,000 people gathered in Museum Square before marching through the city center. Adorned with Palestinian flags, protesters urged the Dutch government to adopt a firmer stance against Israel and halt arms exports. These rallies intensify pressure on Dutch leaders ahead of national elections, especially after Foreign Minister David van Weel indicated Friday that approving F-35 fighter jet parts exports to Israel was ‘unlikely’ amidst mounting public anger. Amnesty International, a key organizer, called for European governments to deploy all economic and diplomatic tools to pressure Israel.
Strong solidarity was also evident in Türkiye, particularly in Istanbul, where vast crowds marched from the Hagia Sophia mosque. Similar protests took place in Ankara, with participants condemning Israel’s actions and highlighting the conflict’s two-year duration. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as a staunch critic of Israel, accusing it of committing war crimes in Gaza. A controversial claim by Turkish journalist Ersin Celik, a Gaza Sumud Flotilla participant, reported witnessing Israeli forces ‘torture Greta Thunberg’ during an incident this past Saturday.
Further rallies were reported in Sofia, Bulgaria, where placards decried the use of starvation as a weapon and labeled Gaza as a ‘graveyard of children.’ In Rabat, Morocco, demonstrators burned an Israeli flag, demanding a reversal of the 2020 normalization agreement with Israel and the release of human rights defender Aziz Ghali. Smaller protests also unfolded across Spain, following larger demonstrations in Madrid, Rome, and Barcelona, where marchers carried white bundles symbolizing child victims.
Amidst this global outcry, Hamas announced its acceptance of certain elements of a ceasefire proposal put forth by US President Donald Trump, even as significant parts of Gaza remain devastated and under siege.
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