Hamas chief: US, allies should listen to their nations’ calls for Gaza ceasefire

The chairman of the political bureau of the Hamas resistance movement has lauded tens of thousands of people who poured onto the streets in Western countries to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, saying the United States and its Western allies should listen to their nations’ calls.

“I do salute the huge masses gathering in Washington and the massive crowds that took to the streets in various Western capitals to show their solidarity with our people, and demand an end to the war of genocide in Gaza,” Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement late on Saturday.

He argued that such massive rallies in different parts of the world confirm that freedom-loving people are fed up with the policies of the occupying Israeli regime and its atrocities.

“The US administration and the countries giving cover to the Israeli aggression should listen to their peoples’ calls.

“We have noticed that the peoples of the world have loudly chanted: Freedom for Palestine, Resistance is Legitimate, and Occupation will End,” Haniyeh said.

Pro-Palestine demonstrations took place on Saturday in various cities, including Washington, DC; London; Paris; Berlin; Milan and Dhaka.

In Turkey, a convoy of Palestine supporters headed to a US military base in the south of the country for a protest to coincide with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s arrival to the country on Sunday.

Large crowds also held sit-down protests in London, blocking Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus before marching to and gathering in Trafalgar Square.

Protesters held “Freedom for Palestine” placards and chanted “ceasefire now” and “in our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians”.