Over 300,000 Protesters in Rome Demand End to Gaza Massacre

More than 300,000 people took to the streets of Rome on Saturday to demand an immediate end to what demonstrators described as a massacre in Gaza, marking one of the largest protests in Italy in recent years.

The mass rally, organized by a coalition of left- and right-wing opposition parties, was a powerful show of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

According to Italian news agency Nova, the demonstration was supported by the Democratic Party (Centre-left), the Five Star Movement (right-wing populist), and the Green Left Alliance. Protesters waved Palestinian flags and peace banners while chanting calls such as Stop the massacre and No more complicity.

Italian political leaders addressing the crowd called for an immediate end to what they labelled crimes against Palestinian civilians. They denounced the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government.

Criticism was also directed at Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for her government’s silence on the situation. Opposition figures urged Meloni to recognize the State of Palestine, asserting that Palestinians deserve the same right to peace and sovereignty as Israelis.

Giuseppe Conte, head of the Five Star Movement and Italy’s former prime minister, condemned the government’s position, calling it a national disgrace.

He accused Italy of passively allowing the destruction of Gaza, highlighting the deaths of over 60,000 Palestinians, including 16,000 children, and the destruction of schools, hospitals, and homes. Conte labelled the crisis a genocide and firmly rejected claims of antisemitism, stating that criticizing Netanyahu’s government is not equivalent to hatred against Jews.

Leaders of the Green Alliance echoed this sentiment, condemning the supply of arms to Israel. Nicola Fratoianni, a senior member of the alliance, criticized Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini for travelling to Tel Aviv and shaking hands with Netanyahu, calling the gesture shameful.

Fratoianni demanded that Italy and the European Union take concrete action by recognizing Palestinian statehood, suspending the EU-Israel agreement, halting arms deals, and imposing sanctions. He stressed the need to stop what he called an ongoing genocide, forced displacement, and ethnic cleansing in Gaza.