MADRID, Jan. 28 — Some 20,000 people marched in support of the Palestinians in Madrid yesterday, a day after the United Nations Supreme Court said Israel must stop its genocide in its war against Hamas. .
Many of the marchers held banners and placards condemning the “genocide” in the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless shelling and siege since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.
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Some held Palestinian flags and shouted slogans denouncing Israel. Some held banners thanking South Africa for bringing the case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
South Africa accused Israel of violating the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, established after World War II and the Holocaust.
In Friday’s ruling, the ICJ said Israel must stop genocide in its war with Hamas and allow aid to Gaza, but stopped short of calling for an end to the fighting.
The ruling was condemned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “outrageous” and was welcomed by many countries, while others, including Britain, expressed dismay.
Spain, one of Europe’s most vocal critics of Israel’s attacks on Hamas, was among the countries to welcome Friday’s ruling.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated over Madrid’s position on the issue.
Israel recalled its top diplomat from Madrid in November after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed doubts about the legality of Israel’s war in Gaza. She returned in January.
“Children are dying”
“They have been without food, water and nothing for almost 110 days,” Lobna Elnakara, 54, a demonstrator in Madrid, said of the situation in Gaza.
“Children are dying and living in very difficult conditions.”
Some of the banners called for sanctions against Israel.
Madrid authorities announced the number of voters at 20,000.
The Israeli military operation began shortly after the October 7 Hamas attack, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,140 people, mostly civilians, inside Israel, according to official AFP figures.
Hamas also held about 250 hostages, and Israel said about 132 of them remained in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 28 dead prisoners.
Israel has vowed to crush Hamas, and the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip says Israeli military attacks have killed at least 26,257 people, the majority of them women and children. —AFP