Gaza: Tens of thousands of people flooded the streets of The Hague in the Netherlands on Sunday, June 15, in one of the largest pro-Palestinian demonstrations the country has seen in recent times.
The protest was organized to oppose Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, which has now lasted over 20 months and resulted in the deaths of nearly 55,300 Palestinians. The demonstrators marched toward the International Court of Justice (ICJ), creating what organizers described as a symbolic “red line” to pressure the Dutch government into imposing sanctions on Israel.
The demonstration, backed by major rights organizations including Amnesty International and Oxfam Novib, saw a turnout of more than 150,000 people, according to event organizers. Protesters sang, held signs, and delivered speeches as they passed the ICJ, which is currently hearing a genocide case filed by South Africa against Israel. The protest comes just four weeks after a similar march in the same city, signaling a growing wave of public disapproval toward the Dutch government’s stance on the conflict.
Oxfam Novib director Michiel Servaes stated that the purpose of the demonstration was to stop what he described as “genocide in Gaza” through concrete sanctions. Meanwhile, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof acknowledged the mass turnout and the public frustration, writing on social media that the government remains committed to “stopping the violence and ending the humanitarian blockade.” He added, “To all those people in The Hague, I say: ‘We see you and we hear you.’”
Protesters voiced concerns that Israel’s recent escalation into Iran and the broader regional conflict is being used to distract from the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. A medical doctor among the crowd, Salih el Saddy, told reporters that watching the devastation in Gaza was “very painful” as a healthcare professional.
The background of this story ties into the larger context of Israel’s military operations that began in response to Hamas attacks but have since escalated into broader regional tensions, including strikes on Iran. In response, several international protests have erupted globally—in countries such as Belgium, Turkiye, Brazil, and Greece—all demanding an end to the war in Gaza and increased political accountability.
The Hague protest now stands as a major signal to the international community that growing public opposition could influence Western foreign policy toward the crisis.
