WARSAW

Hundreds of protesters gathered in the Polish capital Warsaw's Old Town Square on Sunday in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people and to strongly denounce Israel's attacks on Gaza

Amid the square’s historical cobblestone streets and centuries-old architecture, demonstrators from diverse backgrounds and affiliations came together to express their support for Palestine.

They raised their voices against the ongoing violence and called for a swift resolution to the crisis.

Throughout the protest, the atmosphere was charged with passionate chants, with banners and placards bearing slogans such as "Freedom for Palestine," "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," and "Stop the genocide in Gaza."

"There is torture and death in Palestine. A solution should be found as soon as possible," Rafal, a Polish citizen who took part in the protest, told Anadolu.

Malgorzata, another protester, said: "Stop the genocide. Take swift action. Enough is enough."

Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza since Oct. 7, when the Palestinian group Hamas carried out a cross-border attack.

The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza has risen to 8,005, including 3,342 children, 2,062 women and 460 elderly people, according to the Health Ministry.

More than 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the conflict.

Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari announced Saturday that Israeli forces were expanding their operations and moving to the "next phase of our war against Hamas," which includes ground operations.

Gaza's 2.3 million residents are meanwhile grappling with shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine due to Israel’s blockade of the enclave.