Hundreds of thousands march across Europe in support of Palestinians

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ISTANBUL (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of people across several European cities marched Sunday in support of Palestinians and an aid flotilla ’s attempt to reach Gaza.

Istanbul held the largest of multiple demonstrations being staged in Turkey. Footage showed crowds walking from the iconic Hagia Sophia to the banks of the Golden Horn, where they were greeted by dozens of boats decked in Turkish and Palestinian flags. The marchers called for Muslim solidarity with Palestinians following midday prayers in front of the former Byzantine cathedral, now converted to a mosque.

The protests were among others planned Sunday in European cities to mark the second anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. Israel's attacks have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry that is part of the Hamas-run government.

In the Turkish capital Ankara, protesters held up flags and placards condemning the “genocide” in Gaza. “This oppression, which began in 1948, has been continuing for two years, turning into genocide,” Recep Karabal of the Palestine Support Platform told crowds in the northern city of Kirikkale.

Support for Palestinians is widespread in Muslim-majority Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a leading critic of Israel's military operations in Gaza.

In the Netherlands, an estimated 250,000 people, most dressed in red, gathered in Amsterdam to press the government to take tougher action against Israel.

Sunday’s protest and march through the Dutch capital comes less than four weeks before national elections. Two “Red Line” demonstrations in The Hague earlier this year also drew tens of thousands of people.

After packing the central Museum Square, the protesters walked through the city center, holding Palestinian flags and peace emblems. One placard read, “Ashamed of the government.”

The Dutch government has long been a staunch supporter of Israel but has in recent months been more critical as international support for Israel has ebbed. On Friday, Foreign Minister David van Weel said it was unlikely he would grant an export license to send parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel.

“The bloodshed must stop. And that we unfortunately have to stand here because we have such an incredibly weak government that doesn’t dare to draw a red line. That’s why we are here. In the hope that it helps,” protester Marieke van Zijl said.

Marjon Rozema, a spokesperson for Amnesty International, one of the protest organizers, called for the use of “all economic and diplomatic means to increase pressure on Israel.”

In Britain, meanwhile, hundreds of people rallied to mark Hamas’ 2023 attack and mourn the victims of an attack on a synagogue in Manchester.

A crowd gathered outside Manchester Cathedral, holding Israeli and U.K. flags and signs calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas.

A banner paid tribute to two men who died in the synagogue attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. It said their “bravery will never be forgotten.” The attacker was shot dead by police on Thursday outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, after he rammed a car into pedestrians and attacked them with a knife.

Paris also saw an outpouring of support for the hostages held by Hamas. Hundreds of demonstrators, many waving or draped in Israeli flags, marched through the city's streets shouting “Free the hostages," some 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

In the Bulgarian capital Sofia, demonstrators marched with signs including “Gaza: Starvation is a Weapon of War” and “Gaza is the Biggest Graveyard of Children.”

Organizers said they wanted to “pay tribute to the heroes of the Global Sumud Flotilla,” including Bulgarian activist Vasil Dimitrov.

“Our society – and the world – needs to hear that we stand with the Palestinian people,” protester Valya Chalamova said.

Moroccans from all walks of life took to the streets of the capital Rabat in support of the Palestinians in Gaza, many wearing Arab keffiyehs. An Israeli flag was burned near the front of the march as people called for a reversal of the kingdom’s decision five years ago to normalize relations with Israel.

Protesters demanded the release of the flotilla activists, including Moroccan human rights defender Aziz Ghali, who remains in an Israeli prison.

A day after mass demonstrations across Spain, thousands of people held smaller marches in several cities, calling for an “end to genocide” and trade relations with Israel.

Rallies in Santiago and Gijon, both in the north of Spain, were among the largest, with several thousand attendees. In Gijon, a group of women marched carrying white bundles symbolizing the bodies of children killed in Gaza.

Sunday's demonstrations came a day after hundreds of thousands marched in Rome, Barcelona and Madrid in a show of growing international outrage at Israel’s two-year military campaign in Gaza. Smaller rallies took place in Paris, Lisbon, Athens and Skopje, North Macedonia, and in London and Manchester.

Hamas said that it has accepted some elements of a plan laid out by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the war, which has left Gaza’s largest city in famine and stirred accusations of genocide against Israel.

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Associated Press writers Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, John Leicester in Paris, Teresa Medrano in Madrid, Jill Lawless in London, Samuel Metz in Rabat, Morocco and Veselin Toshkov in Sofia, Bulgaria, contributed to this report.

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Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war