Protesters in Stockholm rally against Israeli ceasefire breaches

Hundreds of people assembled in Sweden's capital on Saturday for a demonstration accusing Israel of breaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The protest at Stockholm's Odenplan Square was organized by several civil society groups, with participants carrying signs referencing civilian casualties and calling for an end to military operations and arms transfers.

Calls for International Intervention and Government Action

Protesters displayed banners with messages such as "Stop the genocide in Gaza" and "End food shortages," directly linking their demands to recent reports of continued airstrikes. A key demand from the crowd was for the Swedish government to impose a halt on all arms sales to Israel. Activist Joakim Orthen, speaking at the event, told Anadolu that the weekly gatherings are intended to maintain focus on Gaza and the West Bank. "We are here because the war is not over yet. Despite a peace agreement that should be implemented, civilians are still being killed," he stated, emphasizing the need for international intervention to uphold the ceasefire.

Parallel Protests and Reported Casualty Figures

The demonstration in Sweden coincided with reported protest actions at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, where activists are demanding an academic boycott of Israel. According to the NOS broadcaster, the university reported damage to several buildings, including smashed windows. The Stockholm rally organizers framed their cause around broader human rights, with Orthen arguing that Palestinians deserve the same protections as people in Europe. These events unfold against a backdrop of significant casualty figures cited by health authorities in Gaza, who report thousands of deaths and injuries since the outbreak of the war last October, with hundreds said to have occurred since the ceasefire was announced.