Thousands march in Athens to protest ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza

ATHENS

Thousands of people on Sunday marched towards the Israeli Embassy in Athens to protest the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza.

The rally, which was called by trade union PAME, close to the country’s fourth-biggest political party Greek Communist Party (KKE), was attended by a crowd of left-wing trade union members, students, Palestinians living in Athens, senior members of KKE and Palestinian Ambassador to Greece Yussef Dorkhom.

The protesters carried Palestinian flags and banners condemning the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza, the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and the Greek government’s policy in the ongoing conflict and chanted “Free Palestine” slogans.

The crowd met a strong police barricade around the Israeli Embassy, which did not allow them to further approach the building.

The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since Oct. 7 has risen to 8,005, the Health Ministry in the besieged Palestinian enclave said on Sunday. The figure includes 3,342 children, 2,062 women, and 460 elderly.

Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza since Oct. 7 when Hamas carried out a surprise cross-border attack. The army's spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, on Saturday announced "expanding its operations," moving to the "next phase of our war against Hamas."

Gaza's 2.3 million residents are also grappling with shortages of food, water, fuel, and medicine due to Israel’s blockade of the enclave. Only a few aid trucks have crossed into Gaza since the opening of the Rafah crossing point last weekend.