ISRAEL: On Wednesday, demonstrators held violent anti-Israel protests around the Middle East, with some of them escalating into violence to express their fury over an explosion that killed hundreds of Palestinians in a hospital, making it the bloodiest incident inside Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war.
Palestinian authorities reported that two Palestinian teenagers died as a result of Israeli forces shooting them during demonstrations over Tuesday’s explosion at the Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital in Gaza City, which occurred close to Ramallah in the West Bank.
Both sides have accused each other of the explosion.
In Lebanon, security forces used tear gas and water cannons against protesters who were throwing objects during a demonstration near the U.S. Embassy north of Beirut, as shown in footage from Lebanese broadcaster al-Jadeed.
“America is the devil, the real devil, because it supported Israel, and then all the world is blind. You don’t see what happened yesterday?” said a Lebanese demonstrator, Mohammed Taher.
Throughout Iran, government-sponsored marches were organised, with Iran being a supporter of Hamas and a sworn adversary of Israel. Demonstrators carried banners bearing slogans such as “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, in a televised address, stated, “”Every drop of blood of Palestinians killed in this war brings the Zionist regime (Israel) closer to its downfall.”
Protests were not limited to the Middle East or the Muslim world. Jewish peace activists gathered in large numbers in Washington, D.C., and demanded that Congress and the Biden administration push for a cease-fire.
Approximately 200 protesters, including a significant number from the organisation Jewish Voice for Peace, gathered in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building near the U.S. Capitol.
They chanted slogans like “The world is watching” and wore black T-shirts with messages such as “Jews Say Cease Fire Now” and “Not in Our Name”.
U.S. Capitol Police stated that they initiated arrests of demonstrators who did not follow orders to disperse, while an additional 500 protesters formed a blockade on Independence Avenue outside.
Palestinian authorities attributed Tuesday’s explosion in northern Gaza to an Israeli airstrike, while Israel claimed the blast resulted from a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, which denied any responsibility.
The recent violence further exacerbated the crisis in a region already tense since October 7, when Hamas, the governing authority in the Gaza Strip, initiated a cross-border attack on communities in southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,400 people and the taking of hostages.
Over 3,000 Palestinians have lost their lives as a result of Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on the densely populated coastal enclave, Gaza health authorities say.
In Iraq, approximately 300 supporters of Iran-backed Shiite militia groups held a protest near a bridge leading to the heavily secured Green Zone, which houses the U.S. Embassy and other foreign missions.
While waiting for the Palestinian flag, a militia member, Said Ali Akbar, said, “Americans must know that their support for the terrorist Israel will bring them defeat and devastation.”
In Amman, riot police repelled thousands of Jordanian demonstrators who intended to march towards the heavily fortified Israeli Embassy. During clashes with protesters who set property on fire near the embassy, several police officers sustained injuries, as reported by the police.
In Tunis, demonstrators set fire to the flags of both Israel and the United States while calling for the removal of the U.S. and French ambassadors, whom they accused of offering unwavering support to Israel.
“They (Palestinians) have no food or water, and they are getting bombed. This is genocide, not war. This is a crime. We must find a solution,” said a protestor, Ines Laswed.
The protesters voiced their support for Hamas, chanting slogans like “Revenge… revenge… Oh Hamas, bomb Tel Aviv.”
In Yemen, thousands marched in the capital, Sanaa. Mohammed Ali Al-Rammah, a member of the ruling Houthi movement, criticised what he described as Israeli falsehoods and animosity, stating, “We will fight you.”
In Beirut’s southern suburbs controlled by Hezbollah, thousands of people gathered for a protest, where they waved Hezbollah, Palestinian, and Lebanese flags and chanted “Death to America.”
Senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine, addressing the rally, asserted that the group was thousands of times stronger than before and cautioned the U.S., Israel, and what he referred to as “malicious Europeans” to be cautious.
Saudi Arabia urged its citizens to evacuate Lebanon, citing “current events” in the southern region where Hezbollah and Israeli soldiers have been exchanging gunfire.
The French Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that, in light of the security situation in Lebanon, particularly along its border with Israel, it was warning its citizens not to travel there.
Security concerns in many parts of Europe have escalated due to the Israel-Hamas conflict and the activities of Islamist groups, including the Islamic State (IS). France has reported that 24 of its citizens were among the casualties in the Hamas attack on Israel that occurred on October 7th.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi announced that Italy has heightened surveillance measures, particularly in densely populated areas, and bolstered security around potential targets for attacks.
Also Read: Biden En Route to Israel after Gaza Hospital Strike Took Hundreds of Lives
