Stockholm protest condemns Israeli genocide in Gaza
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Hundreds gathered in Stockholm’s Odenplan Square to protest the Israeli occupation's war crimes in Gaza, demanding an end to the genocide and siege on Palestinians.
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Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather for a protest against the participation of Israeli contestant Eden Golan ahead of the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, Saturday, May 11, 2024 (AP)
The Swedish capital witnessed a massive protest on Saturday as demonstrators gathered in central Stockholm to denounce the ongoing genocide being committed by the Israeli regime against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
The demonstration, held in Odenplan Square, was organized by Swedish civil society groups and drew hundreds of participants demanding an immediate halt to the Israeli war crimes in the besieged territory.
Protesters waved Palestinian flags and held photographs of children martyred during the Israeli occupation’s aggression on Gaza. Banners and placards carried messages such as “Stop the genocide committed by Israel in Palestine.”
This protest follows a series of similar demonstrations in Stockholm in recent months, reflecting growing public outrage in Sweden over the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Gaza Strip.
Sweden’s Foreign Minister, Maria Malmer Stenergard, had previously condemned "Israel’s" conduct. In a June statement, she declared that the Israeli occupation's refusal to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and its attacks on aid distribution centers were effectively starving civilians, which she said were war crimes.
The demonstration adds to mounting international pressure on the Israeli occupation to halt its aggression, as global voices increasingly call for accountability over violations of international humanitarian law.
'Israel' violating UN charter
The United Nations confirmed that its Charter and international law are being repeatedly violated by some member states, particularly in the context of the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and other crises.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told the Jordanian news agency Petra that states must believe in and implement the commitments they themselves have signed.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep alarm over the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, condemning recent attacks that have struck areas sheltering displaced Palestinians and those seeking food.
In a statement conveyed by Dujarric, Guterres highlighted that in a single day this week, Israeli relocation orders forced nearly 30,000 Palestinians to flee with no safe refuge and critical shortages of shelter, food, medicine, and water.
"International humanitarian law is unambiguous: civilians must be respected and protected, and the needs of the population need to be met," he stressed.
Read more: US contractors confirm; Gazans are being targeted at aid sites: AP
Shrinking space for civilians, mounting displacement
In a related context, Dujarric noted that the area available for civilians in Gaza continues to shrink daily. He recalled that on Thursday, Israeli authorities issued a new displacement order targeting parts of Gaza City, where an estimated 40,000 people lived, including one displacement center, one medical point, and a neighborhood previously untouched by evacuation orders. About 900 families have reportedly fled since the order.
The UN spokesperson cited an OCHA report, which noted that since the end of the ceasefire in mid-March, over 50 such orders have been issued, covering approximately 78% of Gaza.
He added that when Israeli-militarized zones are factored in, this figure rises to 85%, leaving only 15% of the territory theoretically habitable for civilians.
Dujarric noted that these areas are dangerously overcrowded and lack basic infrastructure, likening Gaza's condition to housing over 2 million people in a space the size of Manhattan, reduced to rubble and devoid of support systems, while remaining zones are fragmented and unsafe.
