Hundreds of thousands march across Europe in support of Palestinians, Gaza aid flotilla
📄 Article Content
Current section
'The Bloodshed Must Stop'
In the Netherlands, an estimated 250,000 people, most dressed in red, gathered in Amsterdam to press the government to take tougher action against Israel. In Spain, a group of women marched carrying white bundles symbolizing the bodies of children killed in Gaza
Print in a simple, ad-free format
Ad-free and in a comfortable reading format
Hundreds of thousands of people across several European cities marched Sunday in support of Palestinians and an aid flotilla's attempt to reach Gaza.
Istanbul held the largest of multiple demonstrations being staged in Turkey. Footage showed crowds walking from the iconic Hagia Sophia to the banks of the Golden Horn, where they were greeted by dozens of boats decked in Turkish and Palestinian flags. The marchers called for Muslim solidarity with Palestinians following midday prayers in front of the former Byzantine cathedral, now converted to a mosque.
The protests were among others planned Sunday in European cities to mark the second anniversary of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. Israel's attacks have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government.
In the Turkish capital Ankara, protesters held up flags and placards condemning the genocide in Gaza. "This oppression, which began in 1948, has been continuing for two years, turning into genocide," Recep Karabal of the Palestine Support Platform told crowds in the northern city of Kirikkale.
Support for Palestinians is widespread in Muslim-majority Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a leading critic of Israel's military operations in Gaza.
In the Netherlands, an estimated 250,000 people, most dressed in red, gathered in Amsterdam to press the government to take tougher action against Israel.
Sunday's protest and march through the Dutch capital comes less than four weeks before national elections. Two "Red Line" de