Washington, January 9 (RHC)-- Activists in a number of countries worldwide have signed up to a global day of action that will see marches take place on January 13 demanding an end to Israel’s genocidal campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip. The demonstrations will be held a day before the 100th day of Israel’s atrocities in Gaza.
Four percent of the population in Gaza have been either killed, injured or gone missing since early October.
UK-based advocacy groups organizing the initiative say the marches seek to mobilize people to demand a permanent ceasefire.
Events are planned in dozens of cities across countries including the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Australia, Brazil, Jordan, and Turkey, among others.
The Palestinian Forum, one of several British groups organizing the move, said the growing number of cities joining the global action “reflects a shared commitment to ending the violence in Gaza.”
“Together, we stand united in the #GazaGlobalAction campaign, sending a resounding message that the world demands change, justice, and a future free from violence.”
The Palestinian Forum said the “grim reality” in Gaza “underscores the urgent need for international attention, humanitarian aid, and a concerted effort towards achieving a just and lasting resolution to the conflict.”
Calls to join the global day of action have been shared widely on social media using the hashtags #CeasefireNow #EndTheSiege and #FreePalestine.
Ismail Patel, the chair of the pro-Palestine Friends of Al-Aqsa group, has said the demonstrations principally seek to “empower the international community to challenge Israel’s allies.”
“The global day of action hopes to highlight the worldwide condemnation of Israel’s relentless bombing and siege of Gaza, which is claiming around 300 lives daily, the ongoing ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, the discrimination against Palestinians within Israel, the dehumanizing of Palestinians by Israeli leaders, and Israel’s provocative attacks targeting Syria and Lebanon,” Patel said.
The groups that have organized the pro-Palestine day of action spearheaded protests against the U.S. war on Iraq on February 15, 2003. Those demonstrations were held in more than 600 cities worldwide and drew in millions of people.
Since October 7, 2023, Washington has already vetoed two UN Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
In a last-ditch effort in December, South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing the regime of genocide in Gaza. The hearing is scheduled for January 11th and 12th.
Israel has been bombing hospitals, schools, supply vehicles and even UN-run facilities in Gaza since October 7. The regime has also killed more than 23,000 people, most of them women and children.
