Tens of thousands rally in Dutch Gaza protest

Tens of thousands of demonstrators, predominantly dressed in red, marched through the streets of The Hague on Sunday, urging the Dutch government to intensify its efforts against what they described as a “genocide” in Gaza.

Organized by prominent human rights groups including Amnesty International and Oxfam, the protest proceeded through the city towards the International Court of Justice, symbolizing a “red line” for action. Waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Stop the Genocide,” participants transformed a central park into a sea of red under a sunny afternoon sky.

Protesters displayed banners with messages such as “Don’t look away, do something,” “Stop Dutch complicity,” and “Be silent when kids sleep, not when they die.” Organizers specifically implored the Dutch government, which saw its fragile coalition collapse on June 3 after a far-right party withdrew, to exert more pressure on Israel.

“People in Gaza cannot wait and the Netherlands has a duty to do everything it can to stop the genocide,” stated the organizers in their call to action.

Dodo Van Der Sluis, a 67-year-old pensioner, conveyed her sentiments to AFP, stating, “It has to stop. Enough is enough. I can’t take it anymore.” She added, “I’m here because I think it’s maybe the only thing you can do now as a Dutch citizen, but it’s something you have to do.”

A previous demonstration in The Hague on May 18 reportedly drew over 100,000 participants, according to organizers, who characterized it as the largest protest in the country in two decades. Police did not provide an estimate for that event.

The conflict in Gaza was ignited by the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. That assault resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, predominantly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures. Militants also took 251 hostages, with 54 believed to remain in Gaza, including 32 whom the Israeli military has declared deceased.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reports that Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 55,207 people, the majority of whom are civilians. The United Nations considers these figures reliable.

The International Court of Justice is currently deliberating a case filed by South Africa against Israel, alleging that its actions in Gaza violate the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. Israel vehemently denies these accusations.