Berlin protest draws tens of thousands calling for end to Israel-Hamas war
Demonstrations in Berlin and across Europe urge humanitarian relief for Gaza; Germany debates arms exports and sanctions as casualty figures fuel debate
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Berlin on Saturday to demand an end to the Israel-Hamas war and to call for relief for Gaza, police said. About 50,000 protesters marched through Berlin's downtown area, shouting slogans such as “free, free Palestine,” and pressing for an end to the humanitarian crisis facing Gaza.
Police said roughly 1,800 officers were deployed to monitor the march as protesters traversed the capital's central thoroughfares.
In a separate demonstration in Berlin, about 100 people gathered in support of Israel and against antisemitism, with isolated scuffles reported as the two groups met. The scattered clashes appeared to involve protesters from the opposing sides or security forces attempting to separate them.
Elsewhere in Europe, several thousand people demonstrated in the western German city of Düsseldorf under the banner “we will not forget Gaza — freedom for Palestine and all oppressed peoples.” In Geneva, about 6,000 people demonstrated for an end to the war, according to Swiss public broadcaster SRF.
The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and abducted 251. There are still 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, and Israel believes 20 of them are still alive.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive over the past 23 months has killed more than 65,100 people in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says vast areas of the Palestinian territory have been destroyed, displacing roughly 90% of Gaza’s population and creating a severe humanitarian crisis. The ministry operates under the Hamas-run government. U.N. agencies and many independent experts consider its figures among the most reliable estimates of wartime casualties, though they do not specify how many killed were civilians or combatants.
Germany has been seen as one of Israel’s strongest supporters for decades, a stance rooted in historical responsibility for the Holocaust and shaped by postwar policy aimed at ensuring Israel’s security and combating antisemitism. Last month, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Germany would not authorize any exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza “until further notice,” and Berlin has hesitated to back sanctions against Israel.
The protests underscore ongoing debate in Europe over arms sales, sanctions, and the humanitarian implications of the conflict, with demonstrators highlighting Gaza’s dire conditions and calling on governments to act more decisively to halt the violence and support relief efforts.