Thousands of demonstrators poured onto the streets of major European cities on Thursday to condemn Israel’s interception of a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza, intensifying calls for stronger action from European governments.Protests were reported in London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Brussels, and several other capitals, where crowds waved Palestinian flags, carried placards reading “End the Siege on Gaza” and “Freedom for Palestine,” and chanted slogans denouncing what they described as Israel’s “collective punishment” of Gaza’s residents.
The demonstrations were triggered by Israel’s decision earlier in the week to block and seize vessels attempting to deliver food, medicine, and other essential supplies to the Gaza Strip, which has been under a tight blockade for years. Activist groups behind the flotilla accused Israel of violating international law and preventing much-needed relief from reaching more than two million people living in what has been described by rights groups as “one of the world’s most densely populated and impoverished territories.”
In London, protesters marched from Trafalgar Square to Downing Street, urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government to impose sanctions on Israel and suspend arms sales. Similar scenes unfolded in Paris, where demonstrators gathered near the Eiffel Tower, demanding that President Emmanuel Macron push for immediate humanitarian access to Gaza.In Berlin, police estimated that at least 10,000 people joined a march through the city center.
“We cannot remain silent while an entire population is being deprived of food, electricity, and dignity,” said one protest organizer, calling on the European Union to take “concrete measures, not just words.”Human rights organizations have also weighed in, urging European leaders to exert diplomatic pressure on Israel to lift the blockade, which they argue exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.Israel has defended its actions, saying the flotilla posed a potential security threat and that it would not allow any shipment to reach Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza. Israeli officials insist that aid can enter the territory through designated checkpoints after proper inspection.Despite these assurances, protesters across Europe insisted that the blockade amounts to collective punishment and vowed to sustain their demonstrations until stronger action is taken.