Worldwide demonstrations express solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel's war on Gaza

People in various states such as Iran, Egypt, Malaysia, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, Syria, Yemen, and Qatar held demonstrations on Friday to slam Israeli crimes in Gaza, where the occupation air raids have already claimed the lives of more than 4,000 Palestinians.

'Gaza is not alone'

People in the Iranian capital of Tehran convened at Palestine Square in thousands to voice their support for Palestine.

Demonstrators held banners in condemnation of the Israeli crimes and the regime's supporters in the West. They also called for the liberation of the Palestinian lands and displayed the photos of General Qassem Soleimani, a top anti-terror commander who was assassinated by the United States in January 2020.

Multiple cities across Iran also witnessed pro-Palestinian demonstrations following Friday prayer.

Huge protests in Egypt

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, and other main cities across the country, demanding the opening of the Rafah crossing to allow aid for Palestinians who have been under Israel’s total siege and bombardment for fourteen days.

Several thousand people gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, despite a heavy deployment of security forces, calling for Israel to stop its bombardment of the Gaza Strip, one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

Demonstrators were demanding the opening of the Rafah crossing, on the Egypt-Gaza border, to allow aid into Gaza. The crossing is currently the only gateway to Gaza, which has been under siege by the Israeli regime.

Israel bombed the crossing at least five times since it launched its war on Gaza on October 7, on both the Egyptian and the Palestinian sides. The latest attack was on Friday on the Gaza side.

"We want the border to be opened immediately so aid can reach people in Gaza," said one protester. "God is alive, the voice of the people is still alive, the voice of the resistance is still alive."

People were also chanting slogans against the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, demanding the closure of the Israeli embassy and the expulsion of the regime's ambassador.

"Resistance is the solution," people chanted. "The people want the fall of Israel." Demonstrators also chanted slogans invoking "Arab armies" to act.

Several countries and aid organizations have been sending cargo planes and trucks to the Rafah border crossing for days but none has been allowed to enter so far. The border crossing was due to open on Friday.

Jordan demonstrations

In Jordan, thousands of people marched in the capital Amman and elsewhere around the country, chanting slogans in support of Palestinians and Hamas.

Some 2,500 people gathered on a highway in Amman, on their way to the borders with the occupied West Bank.

Police blocked the roads leading to the border to prevent people from heading toward the occupied territory. Protesters were calling on the authorities to allow them to join the fight alongside Hamas.

Several thousand people also gathered near the Israeli embassy In Amman, chanting slogans against the occupying entity.

“No Jewish embassy on Arab land!” protesters chanted,” protesters chanted.

Jordan’s riot police blocked roads leading to the fortified embassy complex to keep back demonstrators who gathered around the nearby Kaloti mosque in the city.

Thousands-strong demonstration in Yemen

Huge protests took place in the capital, Sana'a, and other governorates to express their anger and condemnation of the Israeli massacre in Gaza.

The protesters waved Palestinian flags and signs that supported the Palestinians' right to defend their land, dignity, Islamic holy places, and free them from Israeli occupation.

The protesters also chanted slogans that showed their strong support for the Palestinian people, their brave resistance, and their readiness to sacrifice everything to liberate Palestine and the occupied city of al-Quds.

Hundreds of people also demonstrated against Israel in the occupied West Bank's Ramallah on Friday.

The rally came one day after Israeli forces raided and carried out an air strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in the territory, killing at least 12 people.

Turkey: 'Murderer Israel, get out of Palestine'

Turkey, which has declared three days of mourning for Gaza, saw thousands of people protesting against Israel's atrocities in Gaza outside mosques in Istanbul and Ankara after Friday prayers.

The protesters in Istanbul showed their solidarity with the Palestinians by waving Turkish and Palestinian flags, holding signs and shouting slogans.

Some of the signs read: "Stop the genocide!" and "Murderer Israel, get out of Palestine". To protest the hospital blast, a group of men wore doctors' coats stained with red and carried dolls that looked like dead babies. Some of the protesters also burned an effigy of the Israeli prime minister and an Israeli flag.

Protesters burn an Israeli flag and a puppet featuring Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a demonstration against Israel in Istanbul on October 20, 2023. (Photo by AFP)

Angry protests have been held across the Muslim world since Israel killed hundreds of Palestinians at a Gaza hospital on Tuesday.

The regime's forces launched its deadly bombing campaign on Gaza after Hamas waged Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying regime.

Well over 4,100 Palestinians have so far been killed across the Strip, according to figures from the health ministry. Nearly 13,500 individuals have also been injured.

The regime has also turned off water supplies to the Gaza Strip more than a week ago. The United Nations has warned that approximately 2 million people in Gaza will soon run out of water because Israel has shut off supplies.