STOCKHOLM

Hundreds of people gathered at Odenplan Square in Stockholm on Saturday to protest the Swedish government’s continued silence over Israel’s ongoing genocide and siege in the Gaza Strip.

Organized by civil society groups, the demonstration demanded immediate action from Sweden’s leadership to halt Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

Protesters carried signs that read “Children are being killed in Gaza,” “Schools and hospitals are being bombed,” and “End the food shortage.” The crowd chanted “Freedom for Palestine, no to the Netanyahu-Trump plan” before marching to the Foreign Ministry.

Speaking to Anadolu, Professor Mattias Gardell of Uppsala University’s Department of History of Religions accused Israel of committing ethnic cleansing in Gaza and criticized the Swedish administration for what he called complicity through silence. He said Israel continues its occupation of the West Bank while using hunger as a weapon and placing deadly traps near humanitarian aid distribution points.

Since March 2, Israel has walked back on implementing a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, while keeping Gaza’s crossings closed and blocking hundreds of aid trucks from entering the besieged enclave.

Rejecting international pressure for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a deadly campaign against Gaza since late 2023, killing more than 59,600 Palestinians — most of them women and children. Deaths by starvation have risen sharply in recent weeks due to a months-long blockade and mismanaged aid operations by the controversial GHF.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 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 over its war on the enclave, now in its second year.