SYDNEY: Thousands of protesters marched across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge on Sunday, calling for urgent aid and peace in Gaza despite heavy rain. The demonstration, dubbed the ‘March for Humanity’, highlighted the dire humanitarian crisis in the war-torn enclave, where Palestinian authorities report over 60,000 deaths.
Participants carried pots and pans to symbolise widespread starvation, with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange among the crowd. New South Wales police initially sought to block the protest over safety concerns, but the Supreme Court ruled in favour of allowing it. Authorities deployed hundreds of officers to monitor the peaceful rally.
Similar protests took place in Melbourne as global pressure mounts on Israel. France and Canada recently pledged to recognise a Palestinian state, with Britain considering the same unless Israel addresses Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese supports a two-state solution but has stopped short of recognising Palestine, condemning Israel’s civilian casualties and aid restrictions. – Reuters
