By Mesut Zeyrek

COLOGNE, Germany (AA) - German police used force against pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Berlin who were protesting Israel’s attacks on Gaza and its killing of journalists.

Nearly 200 protesters gathered Thursday in Hackescher Markt Square to denounce Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, its targeting of journalists and an ongoing famine in the besieged enclave.

Five journalists and a firefighter were among at least 20 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes Monday on the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis in Gaza.

Chanting slogans in support of Palestine, demonstrators demanded an end to the Israeli attacks on Gaza.

"Terrorist Israel" and "Freedom to Gaza" were among slogans chanted by the crowd during the rally.

Police officers intervened during the demonstration, with one officer punching a demonstrator. Eight protesters were arrested.

Last week, the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a standardized, multi-partner system for monitoring hunger and malnutrition, confirmed that there is famine in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has killed nearly 63,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.