Protesters stage sit-ins at Dutch train stations in solidarity with Palestine

UTRECHT, Netherlands

Protesters staged sit-in demonstrations Thursday at major train stations across the Netherlands in solidarity with Palestine, expressing their support for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

Demonstrators gathered at the central train station in the city of Utrecht carrying Palestinian flags and holding signs that said "Stop bombing children and hospitals," "Justice for Palestine" and "Ceasefire now."

They expressed their discontent with the Dutch government, accusing it of endorsing Israel's actions in the region.

Chanting slogans such as "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," "Gaza don't cry, Palestine will never die," and "Shame on the Netherlands, your hands are bloody," they sought to raise awareness about the situation in Gaza and garner public attention.

Following the sit-in, they briefly marched in front of the municipal building before concluding the demonstration.

One of the organizers, Leonie van Bruggen, told Anadolu that the sit-in protests aimed to call for a cease-fire and inform the public about the events unfolding in Gaza.

"Initially, the situation was reflected in the media, especially from the Israeli perspective. Now there is increasing attention to the situation in Palestine, and more people are joining this movement."

Expressing determination, van Bruggen said the protests would continue until tangible changes occurred.

She called for the Dutch government to actively pursue a cease-fire and take a more critical stance on the conflict.

Gus Ootjers, who comes from a Jewish background, joined the protests, highlighting the distressing nature of the events in Gaza.

Ootjers emphasized that the suffering in the region had persisted for over a century and needed to come to an end.

"The Netherlands is watching, Germany is watching, the US is watching. People can prevent our government from providing weapons and support, and only together can we stop this," he said, underscoring the role of Western countries in influencing Israel's actions.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

At least 24,620 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 61,830 injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of the Gaza Strip’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.