Thousands of Moroccans Take to the Streets in Powerful Protest Against Gaza Conflict and Israel's Actions

Tens of thousands of Moroccans gathered in Casablanca on Sunday to protest against the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip and call for a permanent ceasefire. The demonstration also saw demands for the suspension of diplomatic ties with Israel. The rapprochement between Morocco and Israel had been progressing since 2020 when the two countries normalized relations under the Abraham Accords.

However, the recent deadly conflict in Palestine has led to a reversal of this progress. The protesters in Casablanca waved Palestinian flags and urged the Moroccan government to sever ties with Israel. Socialist MP Nabila Mounib expressed the need for a permanent ceasefire to allow for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state, with its capital in Jerusalem. She also called for the return of exiles from the Palestinian diaspora and the release of Palestinian prisoners. Hassan Bahadou, a member of the anti-normalization alliance of leftist parties and Islamists, echoed these sentiments and condemned the silence of Arab regimes aligned with Israel.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Morocco have surged since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza, despite a decline in recent years. Moroccan cardiologist Safae Abderazzak emphasized the need to condemn Israeli aggression and expressed solidarity with Palestinian doctors who are facing persecution and martyrdom in Gaza. The conflict between Hamas and Israel resulted in a four-day truce that began on Friday after seven weeks of war. Israeli officials reported that the Hamas raids into southern Israel led to the death of at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, while another 240 people were taken as hostages. In retaliation, Israel carried out bombings in the densely populated Palestinian enclave.

The Hamas-run health ministry claims that nearly 15,000 people have been killed in the territory since the conflict began. As part of the truce, Hamas released 39 Israelis and 19 foreign and dual-national hostages in exchange for the liberation of 117 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. The recent surge in protests in Morocco highlights the growing concern and solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Demonstrators are demanding an end to the violence, the recognition of Palestinian statehood, and the release of prisoners. This large-scale demonstration sends a strong message to the Moroccan government and the international community about the urgency of finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.