STOCKHOLM

Hundreds of people rallied in Stockholm on Saturday to protest Israel’s genocide in Gaza and express opposition to what they said were plans to occupy the territory and forcibly displace Palestinians.

The march began in the Odenplan district, where demonstrators carried placards reading "Zionist Israel out of Palestine," "No to genocide," and "Freedom for Palestine." The group later proceeded to the Swedish Foreign Ministry.

Swedish activist Malin Akertrom told Anadolu that crimes against humanity were being committed in Gaza.

"This accusation that Hamas is mainly responsible is completely absurd because Israel’s attacks on Palestine did not start on Oct. 7," she said, accusing European politicians of failing to act.

She argued that Palestinians, like Ukrainians, have the right to defend themselves. "People in Gaza are dying of hunger. The same is happening in the West Bank. Yet the media presents this as a war between Israel and Hamas, which is misleading. Palestinians are defending their land. Under international law, they have the right to resist, just as Ukraine does."

Akertrom also criticized Sweden for accepting wounded civilians from Ukraine while refusing to admit those from Gaza, calling it a "hypocritical stance."