Thousands join pro-Palestinian protests in France

Thousands of demonstrators protested across France on Saturday in support of Palestinians and calling for peace in Gaza. French trade unions, left-wing parties and pro-Palestinian activist groups called for a global weekend of protests against Israel's offensive in the territory. They issued their rallying call before Israel on Friday launched a massive wave of strikes on Iran, raising fears of

Thousands of demonstrators protested across France on Saturday in support of Palestinians and calling for peace in Gaza.

French trade unions, left-wing parties and pro-Palestinian activist groups called for a global weekend of protests against Israel's offensive in the territory.

They issued their rallying call before Israel on Friday launched a massive wave of strikes on Iran, raising fears of a prolonged conflict that experts say could engulf the region.

In Paris, where the largest march took place, police counted 9,000 demonstrators, while the CGT trade union and hard-left party France Unbowed (LFI) said 150,000 attended the gathering.

European Parliament member Rima Hassan called on supporters to "deviate, disobey and take all necessary actions to enforce international law, to put an end to genocide".

She recently spent three days in a detention centre in Israel after attempting to breach its blockade of Gaza on a boat with other activists.

Protesters on Saturday criticised France's stance on the conflict, branding it conciliatory or even "complicit" with the Israeli government.

"We don't want what is happening in Gaza to be silenced. Every day we hear that 30, 60 people have died. It has become routine, we don't see it anymore and I'm afraid that with what's happening with Iran, it will become even more invisible," said one protester, Eve, 63, who declined to give her last name.

Thousands of people also rallied in the cities of Marseille, Toulouse and Rennes.

Since the collapse of a two-month ceasefire in March, Israel has intensified its operations in the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas, the Palestinian militant group whose October 7, 2023 attack triggered the war.

Nearly 20 months into the war, negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal have failed to produce a breakthrough