Sydney: Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Australia marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of a rally calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and for humanitarian aid to be allowed into the enclave.

According to Anadolu Agency, while weekly marches have taken place every Sunday since October 2023, this is the first time the Palestine Action Group has held its protest on Sydney's iconic bridge. The Palestine Action Group Sydney organized the March for Humanity, calling on "everyone, every individual and every organisation, who cannot bear to do nothing in the face of this atrocity, to join with us."

The group stated that the event "will send a powerful message to the world, to Gaza, to Israel, and to our own Government, that we are determined to stand up for humanity," urging authorities to facilitate the event. They emphasized the dire situation in Gaza, describing it as "the deliberate starvation of 2 million Gazans" and labeling it as part of a broader plan by Israeli leaders to either "kill or expel the entire Palestinian population from Gaza."

NSW Police announced on X that they would be working with protesters to ensure everyone leaves the bridge safely, but in a staged manner, due to public safety concerns. Greens' senator for New South Wales Mehreen Faruqi addressed the crowd, advocating for "the harshest sanctions on Israel."

Among those marching in the rain was WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The Israeli army has conducted a military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of more than 60,000 Palestinians. The ongoing bombing has devastated the enclave, collapsed its health system, and led to fatalities due to starvation and hunger.