French President Emmanuel Macron urged Israel on Monday to swiftly release activists, including Greta Thunberg, abducted after their aid boat heading to Gaza was intercepted, a move that triggered protests across multiple European cities.
Tens of thousands of people staged rallies after Israel stopped the boat, the Madleen, that was carrying 12 activists.
In France, rallies in Paris and at least five other cities were called by left wing parties. Jean-Luc Melenchon, head of the France Unbowed (LFI) party, called the seizure of the Gaza boat by the Israeli military "international piracy".
In Switzerland, several hundred people blocked train stations in Geneva and Lausanne to protest Israel's military operations in Gaza, media reports said.
Some 300 protesters carrying Palestinian flags occupied two tracks at Geneva's main station for about an hour, leading to delays and cancellations, the reports said. A similar protest was staged in nearby Lausanne, where police cleared the tracks.
Macron, meanwhile, urged the immediate liberation of French nationals among the 12 activists on the vessel.
Macron had "requested that the six French nationals be allowed to return to France as soon as possible," his office said.
France was "vigilant" and "stands by all its nationals when they are in danger," he added. The French government had also called on Israel to ensure the "protection" of the activists. Macron also called Israel's humanitarian blockade of Gaza "a scandal" and a "disgrace," as he urged Israel to reopen humanitarian supply routes to the Palestinian enclave, where almost 2 million Palestinians are on the brink of starvation amid genocidal attacks.
Israel's foreign ministry, which is notorious for its international law violations, said earlier that "all the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed," and it expected the activists to return to their home countries.
Israel has virtually sealed off Gaza as part of its genocidal attacks on the Palestinian territory since the Hamas group's attack on Israel on Oct, 7, 2023.
