In a powerful display of solidarity with Palestine, protesters converged in Paris on Thursday, demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.
Organized by the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party, the demonstration drew notable figures, including parliament members Thomas Portes, Carlos Martens Bilongo, Ersilia Soudais and Andree Taurinya.
The vibrant crowd, adorned with Palestinian flags and placards, called for an end to the conflict in Gaza.
Banners proclaiming "Stop the massacre in Gaza" and "Secure a cease-fire in Gaza" were raised high, encapsulating the urgent plea for peace.
Images of people who lost their lives in Gaza, including teachers, children, and aspiring doctors, took center stage.
The protesters aimed to transcend the statistics, humanizing the toll of the conflict and emphasizing the profound impact on innocent lives.
A key demand echoed throughout the demonstration was the lifting of the Israeli blockade on Gaza, emphasized through numerous signs.
In his address to the crowd, Portes expressed disappointment with President Emmanuel Macron's delayed call for a "cease-fire."
He highlighted the ongoing Israeli bombardments during the wait, resulting in the loss of Palestinian lives. Portes urged swifter action and a more proactive stance to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
The conflict in Gaza, sparked by a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7, has led to relentless Israeli air and ground assaults.
The Palestinian death toll, according to the government media office in Gaza, has tragically reached 14,854, including 6,150 children and over 4,000 women, with more than 36,000 people injured.
The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.
Amid the global outcry, hundreds of students in Melbourne and Adelaide, Australia, walked out of classrooms in a school strike for a "free, free Palestine" protest.
Gathering at Flinders Street station in Melbourne, students passionately expressed their support for Palestine, underscoring the global resonance of the issue.
In a statement, Zeynep Sumbul asserted, "If the children in Gaza are old enough to be bombed, I am old enough to understand."
The police estimated a crowd of 500 school-age children at the demonstrations, showcasing the widespread solidarity with the call for peace.
Last week, tens of thousands of people in Australia had already gathered in support of Palestinians, vehemently opposing Israel's ongoing attacks on Gaza.
