Protesters in Netherlands stage sit-in demonstrations in solidarity with Palestinians

By Abdullah Asiran

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AA) - Protesters staged sit-in demonstrations Tuesday across the Netherlands to demand a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

Protesters gathered at 13 train stations in Dutch cities, including Rotterdam, in a show of solidarity with Palestine.

Waving Palestinian flags, they criticized the government for its support of Israel.

Holding signs that read: "Palestine will be Free", "Stop the killing" and "Cease-fire," protesters chanted slogans, including the famous refrain: "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

Els Verplanke, a demonstrator in Rotterdam, told Anadolu that hearing from people that Israeli attacks are in self-defense, makes her sad.

She noted what Israel is doing is "just ethnic cleansing" and she thinks Israel is trying to get as many Palestinians out of Gaza as possible.

Benji de Levie told Anadolu that he would continue to attend pro-Palestine protests until the bombings stop.

There are massacres, death and destruction in Gaza, he added.

Levie also demanded that the government end its support to Israel and do its best to end the attacks on Gaza.

Israel resumed its military offensive on the Gaza Strip on Dec. 1 after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group, Hamas.

At least 17,177 Palestinians have been killed and more than 46,000 injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.