
Thousands march in Rome to protest ‘complicity' on Gaza war
ROME : Hundreds of thousands of people marched through the streets of Rome on Saturday to protest the war in Gaza, in a rally called by opposition parties denouncing the government's alleged 'complicity' in the conflict.
'Stop the massacre, stop complicity!' read a wide banner held by protestors at the start of the march, amid a sea of red, white and green Palestinian flags, peace flags and 'Free Palestine' signs.
The peaceful protest attracted a massive crowd estimated by organisers at 300,000 people. Police later said those estimates were 'largely confirmed', according to Italian news agency AGI.
It made its way from Rome's central Piazza Vittorio to San Giovanni, where speakers took to a stage to urge an end to the violence and denounce what some called the silence of the far-right Italian government of prime minister Giorgia Meloni.
The leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, called the turnout 'an enormous popular response' in opposition to the war.
Italy's Five Star Movement and the Greens–Left Alliance were also behind the protest.
The demonstration was 'to say enough to the massacre of Palestinians, to say enough to the crimes of Netanyahu's far-right government' and to show the world 'another Italy', Schlein told journalists.
'An Italy that does not keep silent as the Meloni government does, an Italy that instead wants peace, wants an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, humanitarian aid, and wants recognition of the state of Palestine,' she said.
The leader of the Five Start Movement, former prime minister Giuseppe Conte, told the crowd he was there 'to not be a partner to genocide' and rejected any accusation of antisemitism on the part of protestors.
Israel has come under increasing international criticism over the dire humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory, where the United Nations warned in May that the entire population was at risk of famine.
In Italy, Meloni has been pushed by the opposition to condemn the actions of Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza, but her criticism has been tempered.
Last month, Meloni called the humanitarian situation 'increasingly dramatic and unjustifiable' and said she had had 'often difficult conversations' with Netanyahu, while at the same time noting that 'it was not Israel that started the hostilities'.
Many protesters came from across Italy to participate in the demonstration in the capitol, including Gabriella Branca, a lawyer from Genoa.
'It's unbearable to witness the massacre of 60,000 people, including 20,000 children. We have to say enough,' the 67-year-old told AFP.
'In other countries, as you know, demonstrations have drawn millions of people, so I hope that today in Rome we can send a signal to all of Italy, so that everyone takes to the streets to say enough and above all, to try to find peace,' she said.
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Malay Mail
4 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Mourners gather in Gaza for funeral of Al Jazeera staff killed by Israel
GAZA CITY, Aug 11 — Gazans gathered today for the funeral of five Al Jazeera staff members and a sixth reporter killed in an Israeli strike, with Israel calling one of them a 'terrorist' affiliated with Hamas. Dozens stood amid bombed-out buildings in the courtyard of Al-Shifa hospital to pay their respects to Anas al-Sharif, a prominent Al Jazeera correspondent aged 28, and four of his colleagues, killed yesterday. A sixth journalist, Mohammed Al-Khaldi who worked as a freelance reporter, was also killed in the strike that targeted the Al Jazeera team, according to the director of Al-Shifa Hospital, Dr Mohammed Abu Salmiya. Their bodies, wrapped in white shrouds with their faces exposed, were carried through narrow alleys to their graves by mourners including men wearing blue journalists' flak jackets. Israel confirmed it had targeted Sharif, whom it labelled a 'terrorist' affiliated with Hamas, saying he 'posed as a journalist'. Al Jazeera said its employees were hit in a tent set up for journalists outside the main gate of a hospital in Gaza City. The four other staff members killed were Mohammed Qreiqeh, also a correspondent, and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa. 'Anas Al-Sharif served as the head of a terrorist cell in the Hamas terrorist organisation and was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF (Israeli) troops,' the military said in a statement. 'The IDF had previously disclosed intelligence information and many documents found in the Gaza Strip, confirming his military affiliation to Hamas,' it said. It published a graphic showing what it said was a list of Hamas operatives in northern Gaza, including Sharif's name, as well as an image of him emblazoned with the word: 'Eliminated'. Sharif was one of the channel's most recognisable faces working on the ground in Gaza, providing daily reports on the now 22-month-old war. Mounting criticism A posthumous message, written in April in case of his death, was published on his account on Monday morning saying he had been silenced and urging people 'not to forget Gaza'. According to local journalists who knew him, Sharif had worked at the start of his career with a Hamas communication office, where his role was to publicise events organised by the militant group that has exercised total control over Gaza since 2006. Following online posts by Israel's Arabic-language military spokesman Avichai Adraee on Sharif, the Committee to Protect Journalists called in July for his protection, accusing Israel of a 'pattern' of labelling journalists militants 'without providing credible evidence'. It said the Israeli military had levelled similar accusations against other journalists in Gaza earlier in the war, including other Al Jazeera staff. Al Jazeera called the attack that killed Sharif 'a desperate attempt to silence voices exposing the Israeli occupation', as it described Sharif as 'one of Gaza's bravest journalists'. It also said it followed 'repeated incitement and calls by multiple Israeli officials and spokespersons to target the fearless journalist Anas Al Sharif and his colleagues'. Reporters Without Borders says nearly 200 journalists have been killed in the war so far. International reporters are prevented from travelling to Gaza by Israel, except on occasional tightly controlled trips with the military. The strike on the journalists came with criticism mounting over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to expand the war in the Gaza Strip. 'We will win' The security cabinet voted last week to conquer the remaining quarter or so of the territory not yet controlled by Israeli troops, including much of Gaza City and Al-Mawasi, the area designated a safe zone by Israel where huge numbers of Palestinians have sought refuge. The plan, which Israeli media reported had triggered bitter disagreement between the government and military leadership, drew condemnation from protesters in Israel and numerous countries, including Israeli allies. Notably, the plans caused Germany, a major weapons supplier and staunch ally, to suspend shipments to Israel of any arms that could be used in Gaza. Australia said on Sunday it would join a growing list of Western nations in recognising a Palestinian state. Despite the diplomatic reversals, Netanyahu remained defiant. 'We will win the war, with or without the support of others,' he told journalists yesterday. He also retained the backing of Israel's most important ally, the United States, with President Donald Trump saying on Tuesday any military plans were 'pretty much up to Israel'. 'Another calamity' The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have condemned the planned expansion. 'If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza,' UN Assistant Secretary General Miroslav Jenca told the Security Council yesterday. UN agencies warned last month that famine was unfolding in the territory, with Israel severely restricting the entry of aid. Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,430 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, figures the United Nations says are reliable. Hamas's October, 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. — AFP


Free Malaysia Today
8 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Zelensky thanks Europe for support as Kyiv seeks place at Trump-Putin meet
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Free Malaysia Today
8 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Kallas says any deal between US and Russia must include Ukraine, EU
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that ministers will discuss the situation in Gaza at tomorrow's meeting. (AFP pic) BRUSSELS : European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said today that any deal between Washington and Moscow to end the war in Ukraine must include Ukraine and the EU, adding that she will convene a meeting of European foreign ministers tomorrow to discuss next steps. 'The US has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously. Any deal between the US and Russia must have Ukraine and the EU included, for it is a matter of Ukraine's and the whole of Europe's security,' Kallas said in emailed comments. US President Donald Trump plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Kallas said that 'as we work towards a sustainable and just peace, international law is clear: all temporarily occupied territories belong to Ukraine'. 'A deal must not provide a springboard for further Russian aggression against Ukraine, the transatlantic alliance and Europe,' she added. Kallas also said that ministers will discuss the situation in Gaza.