STOCKHOLM

Hundreds of people in Sweden canceled New Year’s celebrations and rallied late Wednesday in the capital Stockholm in solidarity with the people of Gaza.

Despite freezing temperatures, protesters assembled at Segels Torg Square following a call by numerous civil society organizations, choosing to mourn children and civilians killed by Israel instead of celebrating the New Year.

Carrying banners reading “Children are being killed in Gaza,” “Schools and hospitals are being bombed,” “Comply with an immediate ceasefire,” and “End food shortages,” the crowd demanded an end to what they described as Israel’s genocide in Gaza and called on Sweden to halt arms sales to Israel.

In a statement made on behalf of the organizers, the protesters said: “In the new year, we reject the mass deaths, sieges in Palestine, and the silence toward these events. We refuse to begin a new year by turning a blind eye to injustice.”

The statement also emphasized that Israel was not adhering to peace commitments with Palestine.

“As the world enters the new year, genocide continues in Palestine. Despite the ceasefire, Palestinians are being killed, the siege continues, and people are freezing to death while left without shelter in tents,” it said.

Waving Palestinian flags and carrying torches, demonstrators later marched toward the Swedish Parliament.

Palestinians have accused Israel of repeatedly violating a ceasefire agreement, which halted a two-year Israeli war that has killed more than 71,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.

Since the Oct. 10 ceasefire deal that halted the two-year Israeli war, at least 414 people have been killed and over 1,100 others injured, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.