Protests continue in Sweden against Israeli attacks on Gaza

By Atilla Altuntas

STOCKHOLM (AA) - Protests were held in Sweden on Sunday against Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza.

Crowds rallied near parliament in the capital Stockholm with around 1,000 people carrying Palestinian flags and chanting “Stop the Genocide,” “Palestine Forever” and “Freedom for Palestine.”

They then marched to the city center while chanting slogans condemning the government’s policy toward the conflict, saying Sweden is complicit in Israel's war crimes.

The rally ended without any incidents.

Meanwhile, in the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, thousands of people organized a demonstration in support of Palestine.

Approximately 15,000 people took part in the event, which was organized to protest Israel's attacks on Gaza.

They initiated a march from Binnenrotte Square, passing through the city center and concluding at the same square.

Carrying banners with messages such as "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," "Cease-fire now," "Stop the genocide" and "Baby killers," the demonstrators chanted slogans like "Free Palestine," "Shame on Rutte, your hands are bloody" and "Israel is a terrorist, Netanyahu is a terrorist."

The death toll in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has reached 13,000, including over 5,500 children and 3,500 women, the media office in the besieged enclave said on Sunday.

The number of injuries has exceeded 30,000, with more than 75% of them being children and women, it said in a statement.

The administration said the number of missing persons crossed 6,000, with most of them suspected of lying under the rubble of fallen buildings.

Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques and churches, have either been damaged or destroyed in Israel’s relentless strikes on Gaza.

An Israeli blockade has also cut Gaza off from fuel, electricity and water supplies and reduced aid deliveries to a trickle.

Israel has rejected growing calls for a cease-fire until the release of hostages held by the Palestinian group Hamas.

*Esra Tekin in Istanbul contributed this story.