Politics The Hague: More than 100,000 demonstrate for sanctions against Israel
Tens of thousands of people have demonstrated in The Hague against Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip and called for a drastic change of course by their government. Most of the demonstrators were dressed in red to symbolize the "red line" - the limit of what is permissible.
15.06.2025, 18:16
SDA
The organizers spoke of around 150,000 participants and the largest demonstration in the Netherlands for 20 years. Reporters estimated the number of participants at more than 100,000.
Sanctions demanded
The demonstrators demanded that the Dutch government cease all military and diplomatic support for Israel, which has sealed off the Gaza Strip and is fighting the Islamist Hamas there. Tough sanctions must be imposed on Israel in order to "stop the genocide", according to a statement. "The looking away, the diplomatic word games, the complicity in the most horrific war crimes - we will no longer swallow this."
The Gaza war was triggered by the unprecedented massacre by Hamas and other extremists on October 7, 2023, which left around 1,200 people dead and around 250 people taken hostage in Gaza. Israel responded with devastating attacks in the coastal area, which has since been extensively destroyed. According to Palestinian figures, more than 54,000 people were killed.
Various aid and peace organizations had called for the demonstration. The procession marched from a site near the main train station to the Peace Palace, the seat of the International Court of Justice, the highest UN court.
