Thousands protest in The Hague, demand Dutch government take action against Israel over Gaza war

Tens of thousands of red-clad protesters marched through The Hague on Sunday to demand action from the government to stop Israel's campaign in Gaza.

Organizers called it the country's largest demonstration in two decades, with human rights groups and aid agencies, including Amnesty International, Save the Children and Doctors Without Borders, estimating the peaceful crowd at more than 100,000 people.

The streets of the Dutch political capital were filled with the elderly, the young and even a few babies in their first protest.

"We hope this is a wake-up call for the government," said teacher Roos Lingbeek, who attended the protest with her husband and their 12-week-old daughter, holding a sign that read: "STOP."

Amnesty International called on the Dutch government to " stop political, economic and military support for Israel as long as it blocks access to aid and as long as it is guilty of genocide, war crimes and structural human rights violations in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories," said Marjon Rozema of AI, writes A2 CNN.

Dutch policy toward Israel is just one of many issues causing divisions in the Netherlands' fragile coalition government. Far-right leader Geert Wilders is strongly pro-Israel and his anti-immigrant Party for Freedom holds the largest number of seats in the country's parliament.

In a post on X, Wilders accused the protesters of supporting Hamas, calling them "confused."

However, last week, Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp of the center-right VVD party called on the European Union to review a trade deal with Israel, arguing that the humanitarian aid blockade violated international law. Wilders hit back, denouncing the call as an "insult to cabinet policy." (A2 Televizion)