Nearly 32,000 people marched in Belgium’s capital on Sunday, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, according to a police report.

During the Brussels demonstration, participants urged the Belgian government to advocate for a comprehensive international military embargo against "Israel".

Thousands of protesters are taking to the streets of Brussels, Belgium, advocating for Palestine and demanding an end to the Israeli genocide. pic.twitter.com/JnywE0wEWm

— Daniella Modos - Cutter -SEN (@DmodosCutter) October 20, 2024

The event was organized by a coalition of civil society groups, as reported by the Belga News Agency.

Thousands of protesters are taking to the streets of Brussels, Belgium, advocating for Palestine and demanding an end to the Israeli genocide. pic.twitter.com/F5pSOTcHEl

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 20, 2024

Ludo De Brabander from Vrede, one of the organizers, stated to VRT that while the focus is on the European Union, Belgium has the opportunity to take responsibility and lead the way, adding that "Belgium has still not recognized Palestine as a state, as Spain and Ireland have already done."

The calls for a ceasefire arise as the Israeli occupation persists in its aggression against the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. This occupation has plunged the people of Gaza into a humanitarian crisis, resulting in engineered starvation and a blockade of the northern region of the Strip.

Gaza genocide continues 

Yesterday,  as the Israeli siege on Jabalia marked its 16th consecutive day, Israeli forces continued their campaign of extermination and genocide in Beit Lahia and Jabalia Camp. They intensified airstrikes on homes and shelters while besieging hospitals, aiming to displace the remaining population.

Dr. Marwan Sultan, director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, said on October 20, that 73 martyrs have been brought to the facility, the majority of whom are women and children.

On Saturday evening, the Israeli occupation committed a horrific massacre by bombing several houses near al-Qassam Mosque in the Beit Lahia area in the northern Gaza Strip, resulting in the killing of 87 Palestinians, according to an updated toll announced by the Government Media Office in Gaza.

In addition to the high death toll of the massacre, 40 people have been injured and many remain missing, most of them women and children, as stated by the media office. This new massacre coincides with the Israeli occupation’s deliberate destruction of the healthcare system in the northern region of the sector, an area that remains home to around 400,000 residents.

Israeli aggression on Beirut, South Lebanon, Bekaa

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation maintains its aggressive campaign across Lebanon, focusing on civilian infrastructure and healthcare facilities.

During a late-night aggression on Sunday, the Israeli occupation targeted several areas in Beirut’s Southern Suburb. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, over the past 24 hours, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 16 people and injured 59. That said, most casualties occurred in southern Lebanon and Nabatieh, with additional injuries reported in the Beqaa region.

Moreover, Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported 11 airstrikes on Beirut's Southern Suburb, many aimed at al-Qard Al-Hassan, with one strike landing near Beirut's airport—the main entry point for humanitarian aid to the country.