In pictures: Indians in solidarity with Gaza

By Sukant

Published: Monday, July 14, 2014, 17:14 [IST]

A large number of civil rights and Muslim groups extended their solidarity in support of Palestinians and protested against the continuous air strikes by Israel in Gaza in the national capital on Sunday. Over thousands of Palestinians have fled their homes after the Israeli military threatened to widen its assault that has killed over 170 people in last six days.

People protested against the ongoing attacks in Gaza and demanded Israel to be declared as a terrorist nation and immediate end to genocide in which hundreds of innocent people have died so far.

Protest at Jantar Mantar and Israeli Embassy

Hundreds of people protested on Sunday at Jantar Mantar and Israeli embassy in New Delhi and raised their concern over killing of innocent people, including children, in Gaza following attacks by Israel.

Protesters chanted slogans like "free Palestine" against the Israeli air strikes in Gaza and carried placards which read "free Palestine" and "In Solidarity with Gaza".

"In the memorandum to be submitted to the Indian Government, we have sought the Indian Government to summon the Israeli ambassador and demand an immediate end to the bombings. The Ambassador must be warned that if the bombings continue, the Indian Government will sever its diplomatic relations with Israel. Further, the Indian Government must initiate a proposal to call an emergency meeting of the UN on this matter," said an activist who organized the protest.

Israeli brutality

The immediate unrest in Gaza was due to the killing of two Palestinian youths in the West Bank town of Beitunia in May which was reminder of killing of innocent Palestinian children. The brutality of Israel in Palestine has been going on for a long period of time.

Israel for the first time today launched a ground operation inside northern Gaza to silence Hamas rocket fire. Hamas which is a militant group have already launching almost 1,000 rockets at Israel. More than 4,000 Gaza residents had taken refuge at eight bases of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, spokesman Chris Gunness said.

Israel carried out overnight air strikes against Gaza's security headquarters and police stations, in the heaviest bombardment since operations began on July 8, PTI reported.

Protest in other parts of the country

The protest against the Israeli brutality has also spread other parts of the country like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir to condemn the military offensive in Gaza.

As Israel's air campaign in the Gaza Strip entered its sixth day, the overall death toll rose to 165 with more than 1,000 injured and the UN Security Council called on both sides to declare a ceasefire. Israel has also mounted a ground assault there.

Role of UN

The United Nations have deeply condemned the ongoing Gaza crisis and despite its clear demand for a ceasefire, no consensus has come out and situation has worsened in and around Gaza.

Protest erupts in Delhi after Gaza unrest

Civil rights and Muslim groups extended their solidarity in support of Palestinians and protested against the continuous air strikes by Israel in Gaza in Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on Sunday.(OneIndia photo by Sukant Singh)