Gaza protests fill Europe and Washington three years into Israel’s war

TEHRAN — Palestinian flags filled streets from London to Washington on Saturday, three years after Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza. A single thread ran through the crowds: the U.S.-backed “ceasefire” declared a year ago has not stopped the killing. London’s march, called by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, crossed Westminster Bridge toward Downing Street. Several thousand people carried placards reading “End the genocide.” Director Aimee Shalan demanded “full sanctions on Israel” and said Western penalties over settler violence fall far short. Police announced 20 arrests, targeting marchers holding signs for Palestine Action, a group recently outlawed under contentious counter-terrorism powers in an aggressive government push to criminalize solidarity movements and shield British military exports to Israel. About 3,500 people left a square between the chancellery and parliament in Berlin, many denouncing German arms exports to Israel. A student told AFP it was appalling how hard Germany finds it to criticize Israel at all. In Athens, trade unions, left-wing parties, students and migrant communities marched to the Israeli and U.S. embassies, where New Left lawmaker Petty Perka spoke of “three years of hunger and genocide.” Warsaw’s banners read “Solidarity with Palestine, stop supporting Israel.” Rome, Turin and Dublin held marches of their own. All were part of a Global Day of Action called by the Global Alliance for Palestine with the Anti-Apartheid Movement and the SANED coalition, which reported over 200 groups and 300-plus events in 60 countries Washington under pressure Hundreds rallied outside the Capitol three weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms. “We will not let this genocide be normalized,” said Nouhad Akkar of the Palestinian Youth Movement, which called the rally. Isabella Javidan of the National Iranian American Council linked Gaza to Israeli operations in Lebanon and Iran. “These are not isolated tragedies,” she told the crowd. She said members of the U.S. Congress have “repeatedly chosen death over diplomacy, military domination over basic human dignity, and the interests of the war industry over the lives of millions.” A Jewish American marcher, Erik, carried a sign reading “No genocide in our name.” Politicians who keep arming Israel are losing the argument at home. Pew finds 60 percent of Americans view Israel unfavorably, up almost 20 points since 2022, and 74 percent among those aged 18 to 34. A ceasefire that kills Gaza’s Health Ministry counts more than 74,200 Palestinians killed and over 175,000 wounded since October 2023. About 90 percent of the territory’s infrastructure is destroyed. Many organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called the campaign genocide. The so-called “ceasefire” took effect on Oct. 10, 2025. Since then, Israeli forces attacked Gaza on 337 of 365 days, according to a recent tally. At least 1,460 Palestinians have died, roughly 300 of them children. The arrangement left Israel holding 53 percent of Gaza, and after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an expansion in May, it controls nearly 70 percent. Aid trucks arrive at less than 230 a day against the 600 the plan promised. More than 1.4 million people face acute food insecurity through December. The UN prices reconstruction at $71.4 billion, and Washington’s Board of Peace has offered $2.45 billion. Ahead of Israel’s Oct. 27 election, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Israel Katz openly speak of removing Palestinians from Gaza, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wants annexation. By Israel’s own count, merely five of its soldiers have died in Gaza since the so-called ceasefire began. Palestinians killed in that time number at least 1,460, roughly 290 for every Israeli soldier.