Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Rome on Saturday to protest the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, responding to a call from opposition parties denouncing the Italian government's 'complicity' in the conflict.
Protesters led the march carrying a large banner reading "Stop the massacre, stop the complicity!" Others carried Palestinian flags, flags with the peace sign, and signs reading "Free Palestine."
According to organizers, around 300,000 people took part in the peaceful demonstration. Police later said these estimates were "largely confirmed," according to the Italian news agency AGI.
The march began from Rome's central Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and went to San Giovanni, where demonstrators demanded an end to the violence and denounced what some described as the silence of Italy's far-right government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Opposition Democratic Party leader Elie Schlein described the turnout as a "massive popular response" to the war.
Italy's Five Star Movement and the left-wing Green Alliance were also behind the protest.
Schlein told reporters that the demonstration was organized "to demand an end to the massacre of Palestinians, an end to the crimes of the extreme right-wing government of (Benjamin) Netanyahu," and to show the world "another Italy."
She added, "Italy is not remaining silent, as the Meloni government is. Italy wants peace, a ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the entry of humanitarian aid, and the recognition of the State of Palestine."
Five Star Movement leader and former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told the crowd that he was participating in the march "so as not to be an accomplice to genocide."
Israel has faced increasing international criticism over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, where the United Nations warned in May that the entire population was at risk of famine.
In Italy, opposition prompted Meloni to condemn Netanyahu's actions in Gaza, but her criticism was not strong enough.
Last month, Meloni described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "tragic and inexcusable," and said she had "often difficult conversations" with Netanyahu, while stressing that "Israel did not initiate the hostilities."
Protesters from across Italy came to Rome to participate in the demonstration, including Gabriella Branca, a lawyer from Genoa.
"It is unbearable to witness a massacre of 60,000 people, including 20,000 children. We have to say enough," Branca told AFP.
"In other countries, millions of people have participated in the demonstrations, so I hope that today in Rome we can send a message to all of Italy, so that everyone takes to the streets to say enough and, above all, to try to find peace."
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