Thousands Rally in Paris and Brussels, Demand Ceasefire as Death Toll in Gaza Soars

 In an unprecedented move, thousands of people gathered in Paris on Sunday for the first pro-Palestinian demonstration allowed by police since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. With Palestinian flags waving and chants of "Gaza, Paris is with you," around 15,000 individuals filled the Place de la Republique to express their solidarity with Palestinians and call for a ceasefire, as the death toll from Israeli strikes in Gaza surpassed 4,700. This demonstration was authorized by French police, unlike previous protests, due to a declaration by the organizers condemning the Oct. 7 attacks, which claimed the lives of 1,400 people.

The rally in Paris was called by the National Collective for a sustainable and just peace between Palestinians and Israelis, comprised of more than 40 organizations, including left-wing party France Unbowed, the CGT trade union, and the organization France Palestine Solidarity. Similar demonstrations took place in Brussels, drawing around 12,000 individuals, according to Belgian police. These protests come after France's highest administrative court ruled that pro-Palestinian protests should be banned on a case-by-case basis, rather than systematically, as initially suggested by the French interior minister.

At a peace summit in Cairo, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna asserted that Israel has a right to self-defense but must also respect international law. She stressed the necessity of a humanitarian corridor to Gaza, which could potentially lead to a ceasefire. The outpouring of support for the Palestinian cause in both Paris and Brussels highlights the growing concern over the escalating violence and the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. With thousands of individuals taking to the streets, waving Palestinian flags and chanting for freedom and justice, the world witnesses a collective plea for an end to the suffering in Gaza.