By Hafsa Alami
PARIS (AA) — Thousands in Paris gathered on Sunday in the first Pro-Palestinian demonstration allowed by police since Oct. 7.
Raising Palestinian flags and chanting "Gaza, Paris is with you," the demonstrators voiced solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amid intense Israeli bombardment and blockade on the enclave.
More than 15,000 people gathered at the Place de la Republique square, according to police figures.
Local media reported that police allowed the rally because calls to the demonstration condemned a surprise attack by Palestinian group Hamas against Israel.
The protest was called by a French group called the National Collective for a Sustainable and Just Pease between Palestinians and Israelis, along with more than 40 other organizations, including the CGT trade union, left-wing party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed), the Attac movement, and the France Palestine Solidarity organization.
The protesters called for a cease-fire and expressed solidarity with the Gaza Strip, where at least 4,651 Palestinians have been killed, including 1,873 children and 1,023 women, since Oct. 7.
The conflict in Gaza, under Israeli bombardment and blockade since Oct. 7, began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers.
The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
On Oct. 12, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin asked prefects to ban all "pro-Palestinian demonstrations," judging them "likely to generate disturbances to public order."
A decision which was approved by the Council of State as it gave the prefects the choice to whether or not ban this kind of gatherings.
Last Friday, another protest had taken place in the French capital for only an hour and was quickly ended by security forces.