Rallies across Europe ahead of Gaza anniversary

Crowds gathered in pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protest and memorial events across the world on Sunday – only a day before the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel which triggered the war in Gaza.

Sunday’s events follow massive rallies that took place on Saturday in European cities like Dublin, Rome, Berlin and Paris.

More events are scheduled throughout the upcoming week, but the peak is expected to be on Monday, which is the date of the anniversary.

Near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, hundreds of pro-Israeli demonstrators set off on the Unter den Linden boulevard behind a banner that read ‘Against all antisemitism.’

Nearby, pro-Palestinian activists marched through Kreuzberg to central Berlin.

Thousands marched through the Barcelona demanding a ceasefire in the Middle-East, under the slogan “Stop the genocide in Palestine. Stop the arms trade with Israel.”

Memorial events organised by the Jewish community for those killed in the October 7 attack and prayers for those still in captivity were also held in Paris and London on Sunday.

Security tensions in several countries have warned of heightened levels of alert in major cities amid concerns that the escalating conflict in the Middle East could inspire terror attacks in Europe or that some of the protests might turn violent.

On Sunday, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni expressed ‘full solidarity’ with police who used tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent demonstrators in Rome.

She said it was ‘intolerable that dozens of officers are injured during a demonstration,’ condemning clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and law enforcement officers.

Her comments came after protesters threw stones, bottles and even a street sign at police in Rome’s central Piazzale Ostiense during a pro-Palestinian march. Police responded using water cannons and tear gas, with 30 police officers and four protesters hurt in the clash.

Pope Francis issued a new appeal for peace “on every front” on Sunday, urging his audience not to forget the many hostages still held in Gaza and asking for their “immediate liberation.” 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also called for a ceasefire and a two-state solution to bring peace to the Middle East.

The German government “continues to persistently advocate for a ceasefire, which must finally come about now,” he said on Sunday.

At the same time, he conceded, “Peace or even reconciliation in the MIddle East seems more distant than ever” and spoke of the “danger of a major conflict in the entire region.”

On October 7 of last year, Hamas launched a surprise attack into Israel – killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostage. The attack set off a war with Israel that shattered much of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting since the war began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It says more than half were women and children.

Nearly 100 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with less than 70 believed to be alive.

In late September, Israel shifted some of its focu to Hezbollah, which holds much of the power in southern Lebanon and some other areas of the country, attacking the militants with exploding pagers, airstrikes and eventually a ground invasion into the country.