Protests occurred in main world cities, together with London, Madrid and Istanbul.
Hundreds of individuals have taken to the streets all over the world to protest in opposition to the struggle in Gaza as Israel pledges to go ahead with its offensive in Rafah in southern Gaza.
Waving pro-Palestinian flags and banners, hundreds marched by the streets of Madrid, Spain to demand a right away ceasefire in Gaza.
The gang snaked by closed-off streets within the Spanish capital from Atocha practice station to the central Plaza del Sol sq. behind a big banner that learn: Freedom for Palestine.
Many carried indicators that learn “Peace for Palestine” and “Don’t ignore Palestinian struggling”.
No less than six ministers from Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s cupboard additionally took half within the demonstration, 5 from the left-wing Sumar get together, his junior coalition companions, in addition to Transport Minister Oscar Puente of the prime minister’s Socialist get together.
“We’d like a right away ceasefire, an finish to the killing and assaults in opposition to innocents, we should obtain the discharge of all hostages,” Puente informed reporters initially of the march.
Within the UK’s capital London, roughly 250,000 folks took half within the protest demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, based on the Palestine Solidarity Marketing campaign (PSC).
At the moment 250,000 folks took to the streets to demand a right away #CeasefireNOW to #StopGazaGencide. We can’t cease till Palestine is free 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/NPE5nqJpuZ
— PSC (@PSCupdates) February 17, 2024
Reporting from London, Al Jazeera’s Harry Fawcett mentioned that based on organisers the demonstration happening in London is anticipated to be among the many high three when it comes to measurement for the reason that begin of the struggle in Gaza in October.
“This might be a sign of the growing concern concerning the scenario in Gaza, on the cusp of Israel’s supposed intensification of navy operations in Rafah within the south. YouGov has issued a ballot saying that two-thirds of individuals within the UK now help a right away ceasefire,” Fawcett mentioned.
Fawcett mentioned that the primary physique of the march arrived exterior the Israeli Embassy, the place solidarity speeches and a static protest occurred.
The organisers additionally timed the start of the march to make sure that an occasion at a close-by Jewish synagogue was over.
Greater than 1,500 cops had been on the streets in London to police the protest.
In response to the Metropolitan Police, 12 folks had been arrested for placard-related offences, assaults on officers and refusal to take away face coverings.
“Regardless of these arrests, the overwhelming majority who took half had been peaceable and acted solely with the regulation,” the police mentioned in an announcement on the social media platform X.
Professional-Israeli teams have tried to color the mass pro-Palestinian motion within the UK as anti-Semitic. The protest motion regards that as an try to whitewash Israel’s assault on Gaza, which has now killed nearly 29,000 folks.
Professional-Palestine protests additionally occurred in Sweden and different international locations, the place folks demanded that Israel cease its offensive on Rafah and referred to as for a ceasefire.
Demonstrations in Israel
Protests additionally occurred in Israel’s capital Tel Aviv and outdoors Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in West Jerusalem with demonstrators calling for a captive-prisoner change deal and quick elections within the nation.
The rallies occurred within the wake of Netanyahu’s resolution final week to not ship an Israeli delegation to Cairo for additional negotiations on a deal to launch greater than 100 captives nonetheless held in Gaza.
The Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board referred to as the choice a “loss of life sentence” for the remaining captives.
However in a information convention on Saturday, Netanyahu denounced the opportunity of elections in Israel proper now. He additionally mentioned that Israel’s navy “strain is working” in opposition to Hamas, claiming the military has “reached areas in Gaza that the enemy by no means imagined”.
“Whoever is telling us to not function in Rafah is telling us to lose an ear,” he added, saying that the Israeli military would assault Rafah – a metropolis in southern Gaza that now hosts multiple million displaced Palestinians – even when a deal to launch captives is reached with Hamas.
