Tens of thousands of demonstrators in Barcelona took to the streets, in a wave of protests across Spain, Italy, and Portugal against Israel’s war in Gaza, according to The Associated Press.
The protests were fueled by the Israeli interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla that had set sail from Barcelona and headed to Gaza to break the naval blockade of the Palestinian territory.
More than 40 Spaniards — among them a former mayor of Barcelona — were among the 450 activists who have been detained by Israeli authorities before reaching the Palestinian enclave.
On Friday, Italy witnessed a nationwide one-day general strike condemning Israel’s crimes in Gaza, drawing over two million participants across the country.
The protest calls across Southern Europe coincide with Hamas’s response in which it accepted certain elements of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan peace plan to end Gaza War.
Despite the fact that these protests are unlikely to influence Israeli policy directly, demonstrators say they hope the protests will spark wider mobilization and encourage European leaders to take more decisive steps against Israel.
“How is it possible that we are witnessing a genocide happening live after what we (as Europe) experienced in the 1940s?” one of the demonstrators said.
Hamas Response
Hamas said it “appreciates the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of US President Donald Trump, calling for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the exchange of prisoners, (and) the immediate entry of aid,” among other terms.
However, the Palestinian group did not mention if it would approve the disarmament and the demilitarization of Gaza — conditions long sought by Israel and the US but consistently rejected by Hamas.
It also dismissed Israel’s proposal for a phased withdrawal, stressing its demand for an immediate and complete withdrawal.
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