War on Gaza: Millions show solidarity with Palestinians in demonstrations across globe

Millions of demonstrators have gathered in over 120 cities around the world in response to a call out of London for a second International Day of Solidarity with Gaza.

The protests are aimed at halting Israel's attempts at  "genocide" and "ethnic cleansing", Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) said in a statement.

Protests were held on Saturday in Istanbul, Washington, Sydney, Dublin, Berlin, Paris, Vienna, Brasilia, Cape Town, Rabat and Baghdad, among others.

Adnan Hmidan, Vice President of the PFB and a representative of the coalition behind the initiative, said the vast turnout was a testament to sustained global support for Gaza that countered "official Western expectations of waning interest overtime". 

"In London, Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff, and major cities worldwide, we witness a resounding movement aimed at halting the genocidal crimes perpetrated by the occupation, evident just days after a YouGov poll revealed that 66 percent of Britons advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza, with support for Palestine in Britain rising to 22 percent compared to 16 percent for Israel," Hmidan said. 

Among the prominent figures addressing the London demonstration were former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, Palestinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Hossam Zomlot, and representatives from various solidarity groups including Kamel Hawash and Ben Jamal from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Farah Saber from the Palestinian Forum in Britain, Lindsey German from the Stop the War Coalition, Mustafa Al-Dabbagh from the Muslim Association of Britain, Ismail Patel from the Friends of Al-Aqsa Organization, and Kate Hudson from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Noteworthy was the participation of Leanne Mohammed, a young Palestinian-British woman from Ilford North, who announced her candidacy for the upcoming British elections, aiming to become the first Palestinian female candidate to wear a hijab in the legislative elections slated for the end of 2024.

"Throughout each stage of Israeli aggression and its genocidal acts against the people of Gaza, we witness atrocities we never thought imaginable. The images of Rafah under bombardment and injured children shock the conscience of the world," Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in Britain, said. 

Demonstrators across the globe echoed chants demanding an immediate cessation of Israeli attacks, accountability for war crimes, and freedom for Palestine "from the river to the sea".

They called for an end to genocide, solidarity with Rafah, and the opening of borders to facilitate aid.