[1/3]People take part in a protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza, as the conflict continues between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Brussels, Belgium, November 11, 2023. Photograph: Yves Hermann/Reuters. Obtaining licensing rights
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – About 21,000 people took part in a pro-Palestinian march in Brussels on Saturday, many of them chanting slogans such as “Free Palestine” and demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as they marched peacefully across the West Bank, police said. city.
“What is happening now in Gaza is more than just destruction,” said one demonstrator, holding a sign reading “Ceasefire Now!” In Dutch.
Other demonstrators carried posters reading “Stop genocide” or “Human rights for Palestinians” or demanded the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for what they described as war crimes.
Another protester said: “It is important that our voice is heard, and we cannot accept that people are being bombed and killed.”
Since the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, there has been strong support and sympathy for Israel on the part of Western governments and many citizens.
But the Israeli military response also sparked anger, as protests took place in cities around the world to demand a ceasefire.
In London, more than 100,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday. In Paris, several thousand demonstrators, including some left-wing lawmakers, marched carrying Palestinian flags and banners to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.
(Additional reporting by Bart Besmans) Additional reporting by Lucien Liebert and Claudia Greco in Paris Writing by Sabine Siebold Editing by Helene Popper
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