Protesters ‘flood’ New York for Palestine
Throngs of protesters rallied in New York, joining the “Flood NYC for Palestine” event organised by activist groups.
Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags, pounded drums and shouted slogans against Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The rally came a year after the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel that unleashed the brutal war on the enclave.
Arrests in New York as protesters mark October 7 anniversary
Police in New York have arrested several people, according to local media, as thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through the streets of Manhattan calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The New York Post said six people were arrested and that protesters clashed with police outside the New York Public Library and at the Times Square. Videos posted online also showed police pushing back crowds at Times Square.
The march came as hundreds of people gathered for a vigil at New York’s Central Park to remember the victims of Hamas’s October 7 attacks. Attendees included Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged a walkout at Columbia University to protest the war in Gaza. The demonstrators also read the names of more than 50,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since October 7, 2023.
A pro-Palestinian demonstrator holds a sign that reads, ‘Palestine will live forever’, on the campus of Columbia University, on the one-year anniversary of the war on Gaza
IFRC calls for humanity to prevail after a year of war
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has expressed solidarity with all victims of the conflict in Israel and Palestine after a year of suffering, saying that “humanity must prevail”.
“The urgent need for peace and stability has never been clearer,” the IFRC’s President Kate Forbes and Secretary-General Jagan Chapagain said in a statement. “However, political and diplomatic efforts have yet to achieve this. Humanitarian assistance cannot replace political will,” they said.
Twelve months since Israel’s war on Gaza, the situation is still dire and its impact is spreading, they said, with millions desperate for humanitarian assistance and an alarming escalation of hostilities in Lebanon, too.
“The world remains on edge. Hostages must come home. Bombs must stop falling. Aid must be allowed to get to where it’s needed most,” they said.
Rights group calls for accountability for October 7 attack, Gaza war
The New York-based Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) says the past year in the Middle East has seen “shocking harm to civilians and systematic violations of international law” in Israel, Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon.
“These conflicts have been marked by severe human rights violations, including the targeting of civilians, conflict-related sexual violence, and torture and degrading treatment of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees,” said Sam Zarifi, PHR’s executive director.
This systematic disregard for international law and the obstruction of independent investigations into the reported abuses, both by the warring parties and their global supporters, “have significant implications … for the credibility of international law not just in the region but also around the world”, he said.
Zarifi added that establishing the truth and providing justice and accountability for violations are fundamental to rebuild trust and promote lasting peace in the region.
