Protests in US, Europe: Muslims, Christians unite in support of Palestinians

WASHINGTON: From Washington to Milan to Paris, tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched Saturday, calling for a halt to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, reports American media.

The marches reflected growing disquiet about the mounting civilian casualty toll and suffering from the Israel-Hamas war. Protesters, particularly in countries with large Muslim populations, including the US, UK and France, expressed disillusionment with their governments for supporting Israel while its bombardments of hospitals and residential areas in the Gaza strip intensify.

People belonging to all religions, including Muslims and Christians, participated in big demonstrations, and even the American Jews also protested against the atrocities against unarmed, civilians of Palestine by the Israeli forces.

Around 300,000 pro-Palestine protesters in Washington, DC, rallied in front of the White House, condemning US President Joe Biden for blocking a ceasefire to the ongoing war in Gaza.

The protest in Washington has been the “largest pro-Palestine and anti-war protest” so far, according to the Palestinian Ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot, who posted a video of the protest on X, formerly Twitter.

Mass protests in support of Palestinians have erupted across the world against the relentless atrocities they are suffering at the hands of Israel and its forces.

Also, thousands took to the streets of Berlin in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the ongoing bombardments by Israel after the deadly Hamas attack on its territory.

Meanwhile, Israeli police held back protesters outside the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, amid widespread anger at the failures that led to last month’s deadly attack by Hamas gunmen.

Waving blue and white Israeli flags and chanting “Jail now!”, a crowd in the hundreds pushed through police barriers around Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem.

The protest, which coincided with a poll showing more than three-quarters of Israelis believe Netanyahu should resign, underlined the growing public fury at their political and security leaders.

Meanwhile, Israeli heritage minister Amichay Eliyahu found himself in hot waters after suggesting the use of a nuclear bomb on Gaza, adding that the government should treat their own hostages as collateral damage and bomb Gaza. The heritage minister faced suspension from government meetings “until further notice” on Sunday, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office reacted to his comments.

Amichay Eliyahu, a member of Netanyahu’s ruling coalition and an ultranationalist politician, made these remarks during an interview on Israel’s Kol Barama radio. He expressed dissatisfaction with the scale of Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks by Hamas, even if it meant risking the lives of hostages in Gaza.

Meanwhile, more than 30 Palestinians were martyred in an Israeli bombing of a refugee camp in central Gaza late on Saturday, according to the Gaza health ministry, in the midst of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

“More than 30 (dead) arrived at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah in the massacre committed by the occupation in Al-Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip,” health ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qudra said in a statement.

Separately, 20 Palestinians were martyred and multiple injured in an Israeli strike on al-Brij refugee camp in central Gaza, Arab media reported on Sunday. In 24 hours, the Israeli army targeted 3 refugee camps in Gaza, with over 50 Palestinians dead in the Israeli attack on al-Maghazi camp.

The spouse of a Turkish photographer was also martyred in the Al-Maghazi camp attack. The photographer’s four children, four brothers and their children were martyred in the bombing too.

Moreover, hospital sources reported that over 200 Palestinians — including a high number of children and women — were martyred by bombardment in Gaza in the last few hours.

Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip have resulted in the deaths of over 9,770 Palestinians, including approximately 4,800 children, according to the spokesperson for the Gaza Strip’s Health Ministry, Ashraf Al-Qudra.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Gazans “must not be forcibly displaced”, speaking on a surprise visit Sunday to the Israeli-occupied West Bank to meet Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas.

“The secretary reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance and resumption of essential services in Gaza and made clear that Palestinians must not be forcibly displaced,” said a summary of the meeting released by the US State Department.

Abbas condemned what he labelled a “genocide” in comments to Blinken, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

“I have no words to describe the genocide and destruction suffered by our Palestinian people in Gaza at the hands of Israel’s war machine, with no regard for the principles of international law,” Abbas was quoted as saying.

Chad has become the latest country to recall its ambassador from Israel, citing “the unprecedented tide of deadly violence” inside Gaza.

“In front of such tragedy, Chad condemns the loss of numerous innocent civilians and calls for a ceasefire for a durable solution to the Palestinian issue,” read a statement.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis made an urgent plea for a halt to the conflict in Gaza on Sunday, calling for humanitarian aid and help for those injured to ease the “very grave” situation.

“I keep thinking about the grave situation in Palestine and Israel where many people have lost their lives. I pray for you to stop in the name of God, cease the fire,” he said, speaking to crowds in St. Peter’s Square after his weekly Angelus prayer.

“I hope that all will be done to avoid the conflict from widening, that the injured will be rescued, and aid will reach the population of Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is very grave,” he continued. “Let’s think about the children, all the children involved in this war, like in Ukraine and other conflicts; their future is being killed,” he added.