Thousands of protesters rallied in major cities around the globe on Saturday, urging an end to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the wider Middle East as the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel approaches.
Approximately 40,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through central London, while thousands gathered in Paris, Rome, Manila, Cape Town, and New York City. In Washington, protesters rallied near the White House, criticizing U.S. military support for Israel's campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon.
In New York's Times Square, demonstrators shouted slogans such as, "Gaza, Lebanon, you will rise; the people are by your side." They carried signs calling for an arms embargo on Israel.
In Jakarta, Indonesia's capital and the largest Muslim-majority country, at least 1,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators assembled near the U.S. embassy on Sunday, urging Washington to cease its arms supply to Israel.
In London, counter-protesters waved Israeli flags as pro-Palestinian marchers passed by, leading to 15 arrests, although police did not clarify the affiliations of those detained.
In Rome, police deployed tear gas and water cannons after clashes erupted, with around 6,000 protesters marching in defiance of a ban in the city center ahead of the October 7 anniversary.
Meanwhile, in Berlin, about 1,000 demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and chanted, "One Year of Genocide," in reference to the ongoing allegations of genocide against Israel at the World Court, which Israel denies. German protesters also condemned what they viewed as police brutality against pro-Palestinian activists, while supporters of Israel rallied against increasing antisemitism, resulting in confrontations between police and pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
The conflict in Gaza escalated when Hamas militants from Palestine launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of approximately 250 others, according to Israeli reports.
In retaliation, Israel initiated a military offensive on Gaza, which has reportedly resulted in nearly 42,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza health ministry. This assault has devastated the region, displacing almost the entire population of 2.3 million and leading to a severe hunger crisis.
In the past year, the extensive violence and destruction in Gaza have sparked significant global protests, including prolonged demonstrations at U.S. college campuses in support of Palestine. Concerns have been raised about antisemitic and Islamophobic rhetoric surrounding these protests.
While the U.S. and its allies have endorsed Israel's right to self-defense, Israel has faced considerable international criticism for its actions in Gaza and its attacks on Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims his government is working to prevent a repeat of the October 7 Hamas assault.
The war in Gaza has spread regionally, involving Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. Israel has intensified its campaign in Lebanon recently, while Iran launched a missile attack on Israel this week, which Israel has yet to address.
In Paris, Lebanese-French protestor Houssam Houssein said: "We fear a regional war, because there are tensions with Iran at the moment, and perhaps with Iraq and Yemen." Houssein added: "We really need to stop the war because it's now become unbearable."
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, the court said on Thursday.
An Israeli airstrike in central Beirut killed five people and wounded 31 on Monday, marking the second consecutive day of strikes in the city. The attack comes as Lebanon and Hezbollah agree to a U.S.-proposed ceasefire with Israel. Tel Aviv is yet to respond.
Hezbollah’s media chief, Mohammad Afif, has been killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut. A second strike killed two others and injured 22 people.
Authorities say the death toll is likely to climb after Israeli strikes on Almat over the weekend.
Displaced people, including children, were sheltering in the family home in Jabalia when it was hit on Sunday.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, the court said on Thursday.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel describes her dealings with world leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump during her 16 years in power in her new memoir, which comes as her legacy is under fire in light of today's crises.
Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, active again after 800 years, has seen repeated volcanic eruptions since 2021. From lava fountains to massive fissures, eruptions have reshaped the landscape, attracting tourists while prompting evacuations and safety warnings.
An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale struck the Dashtestan district of Bushehr Province in southern Iran at 8:30 a.m. local time today, according to the National Seismology Center of the Institute of Geophysics at Tehran University.
"Come up with the video in its full form," demands the COP29 CEO, Elnur Soltanov, in an exclusive interview with AnewZ. The chief executive has broken his silence on the claims he was using his position to organise potential fossil fuel deals.
The United Nations COP29 climate change conference in Baku seeks $1 trillion annually to help vulnerable nations tackle climate change, as political tensions and Argentina’s withdrawal overshadow talks.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel describes her dealings with world leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump during her 16 years in power in her new memoir, which comes as her legacy is under fire in light of today's crises.
The United States said it had reopened its embassy in Kyiv late on Wednesday after it had shut for the day due to what it called the threat of a significant air attack, a day after Ukraine used American missiles to hit a target inside Russia.
China's defense minister declined a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a meeting of defense leaders in Laos, a move the Pentagon chief said on Wednesday was unfortunate.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy acknowledged the Crimea peninsula, seized by Russia in 2014, would have to be restored to Ukrainian sovereignty through diplomacy.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, the court said on Thursday.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel describes her dealings with world leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump during her 16 years in power in her new memoir, which comes as her legacy is under fire in light of today's crises.
Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, active again after 800 years, has seen repeated volcanic eruptions since 2021. From lava fountains to massive fissures, eruptions have reshaped the landscape, attracting tourists while prompting evacuations and safety warnings.
An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale struck the Dashtestan district of Bushehr Province in southern Iran at 8:30 a.m. local time today, according to the National Seismology Center of the Institute of Geophysics at Tehran University.
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