Tens Of Thousands Rally Across Europe Demanding Justice Over Gaza War

Tens of thousands of people rallied across major European cities on Saturday, demanding justice for Palestinians as the death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza surpassed 70,000. Marking the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, demonstrators denounced what many described as Israel’s systematic violations of a United States-brokered ceasefire and called for stronger international action.

According to Reuters, the protests unfolded as fresh attacks continued inside Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement that took effect on 10 October. More than 500 Israeli violations have been recorded since then, leaving at least 347 Palestinians dead and nearly 900 wounded. Among the latest casualties were two boys, aged eight and 10, killed in an Israeli drone strike in Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis.

In Paris, an estimated 50,000 people marched through the city centre, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Gaza, Gaza, Paris is with you” and “From Paris to Gaza, resistance!”. Protesters condemned what they described as “Israeli genocide”. One marcher told Al Jazeera: “This is not acceptable. We are still so far from justice or accountability.” Another added: “We, the people, know that this is wrong. But why do the people in power not feel that this is wrong?”

Anne Tuaillon, who heads the France Palestine Solidarity Association (AFPS), one of around 80 organisations behind the march, said seven weeks of a ceasefire had brought “nothing” closer to resolution. “The ceasefire is a smokescreen. Israel violates it every day, blocks humanitarian aid and continues to destroy homes and infrastructure in Gaza. We are calling for a permanent ceasefire and an end to the genocide,” she told AFP. Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego reported from Paris that organisers viewed the mobilisation as an attempt to maintain “sustained pressure” on Israel at a time when negotiations remain stalled. “This worldwide mobilisation is not just maintaining focus on Gaza, but also on the broader unresolved issue of Palestinian rights,” she said.

In London, organisers estimated that as many as 100,000 people joined the march, demanding accountability for Israeli “crimes” and “protection” for Palestinians still under siege. Reported Reuters, crowds filled central streets in one of the capital’s largest demonstrations since the war began.

Italy also saw major mobilisation. In Rome, the UN’s special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, and climate activist Greta Thunberg attended the primary demonstration. According to Reuters, around 100,000 were expected at the rally. Albanese wrote on X that Israel is “committing genocide against the Palestinians” not only in Gaza but also in the occupied West Bank. “Look at the totality of conduct/crimes against the totality of the Palestinians in the totality of the land slated for ethnic cleansing. Israel must be stopped, and we will,” she stated.

Inside Gaza, the human toll continued to deepen. The deaths of Fadi and Jumaa Tamer Abu Assi, aged eight and 10, underscored the impact on children. Their uncle, Alaa Abu Assi, told AFP the boys had only been collecting firewood for their disabled father. “They were innocent children who have no rockets and no bombs. We went and found them in pieces, and we brought them back,” he said.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement that “the killing of so many civilians, the repeated displacement of an entire population and the obstruction of humanitarian aid should never be acceptable”. From Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary reported that Palestinians remained focused on survival. “It’s a daily struggle,” she said. “Palestinians are suffering to get their basic necessities; they’re suffering to find shelter.” Many families, she added, were still living in tents without medication or access to education. “The Palestinians are still dying slowly, despite the fact that it is ceasefire.”

On Thursday, Amnesty International warned that Israeli authorities “are still committing genocide” in Gaza by launching new attacks and restricting critical aid, despite the declared ceasefire.

(With inputs from Reuters)