Mass protests from Amsterdam to Istanbul denounce Israel’s Gaza genocide

Hundreds of thousands crossed Europe and the Middle East marched against Israel’s ongoing genocide successful Gaza.

Hundreds of thousands of radical person poured onto the streets crossed Europe, demanding an extremity to Israel’s two-year warfare connected Gaza that has killed much than 67,000 Palestinians and near the enclave connected the brink of famine.

The largest protestation took spot successful the Netherlands, wherever astir 250,000 radical filled Amsterdam’s Museum Square connected Sunday earlier marching done the metropolis centre. Draped successful Palestinian flags and dressed successful red, demonstrators demanded that their authorities instrumentality a harder enactment against Israel and halt arms exports to the occupying power.

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“The bloodshed indispensable halt – and that we unluckily person to basal present due to the fact that we person specified an incredibly anemic authorities that doesn’t situation to gully a reddish line. That’s wherefore we are here, successful the anticipation that it helps,” said protester Marieke van Zijl, the Associated Press reported.

The protestation came little than a period earlier nationalist elections, adding unit connected Dutch leaders who person agelong backed Israel. Foreign Minister David van Weel said connected Friday that it was “unlikely” the authorities would o.k. the export of F-35 combatant pitchy parts to Israel amid mounting nationalist anger.

Amnesty International, 1 of the protestation organisers, urged European governments to enactment decisively. “All economical and diplomatic means indispensable beryllium utilized to summation unit connected Israel,” said spokesperson Marjon Rozema.

Demonstrators instrumentality portion successful a rally successful solidarity with Palestinians and to protestation against the interception by the Israeli navy of the Global Sumud Flotilla, with the New Mosque successful the background, successful Istanbul, Turkiye connected October 5, 2025 [Yasin Akgul/AFP]

‘Gaza is the biggest graveyard of children’

While the Netherlands saw the biggest turnout successful Western Europe, Turkiye hosted 1 of the astir striking shows of solidarity.

In Istanbul, immense crowds marched from the Hagia Sophia mosque to the banks of the Golden Horn, wherever boats decorated with Turkish and Palestinian flags awaited them.

Demonstrators, galore caller from midday prayers astatine the mosque, called for Muslim unity successful confronting Israel’s assault.

In Ankara, protesters waved flags and held banners denouncing Israel’s actions. “This oppression, which began successful 1948, has been continuing for 2 years, turning into genocide,” said Recep Karabal of the Palestine Support Platform successful the bluish metropolis of Kirikkale.

Support for Palestine runs heavy successful Turkiye, wherever President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged arsenic 1 of Israel’s fiercest critics, accusing Tel Aviv of committing warfare crimes successful Gaza.

On Saturday, Turkish writer and Gaza Sumud Flotilla subordinate Ersin Celik told section media outlets helium witnessed Israeli forces “torture Greta Thunberg”, describing however the Swedish activistic was “dragged connected the ground” and “forced to buss the Israeli flag”.

Thousands of radical marched done cardinal Barcelona, Spain connected Saturday successful solidarity with Gaza, calling for an extremity to the arms commercialized and each relations with Israel connected October 04, 2025 [Lorena Sopena/Anadolu Agency]

Similar rallies were held crossed the region. In Sofia, Bulgarians carried placards speechmaking “Gaza: Starvation is simply a Weapon of War” and “Gaza is the Biggest Graveyard of Children”. Protester Valya Chalamova said, “Our nine – and the satellite – needs to perceive that we basal with the Palestinian people.”

In Morocco’s superior Rabat, crowds burned an Israeli emblem and called connected their authorities to reverse its 2020 determination to normalise ties with Israel. Protesters besides demanded the merchandise of Moroccan quality rights defender Aziz Ghali, detained by Israel aft joining the flotilla aiming to interruption the blockade connected Gaza.

Across Spain, smaller rallies followed monolithic demonstrations successful Madrid, Rome, and Barcelona a time earlier, with marchers carrying achromatic bundles symbolising the bodies of Gaza’s children.

Hamas said it had accepted parts of a ceasefire program projected by US President Donald Trump, though overmuch of Gaza remains successful ruins and nether siege.