Rabat — More than tens of thousands gathered in Rabat today, united under one purpose: to protest the ongoing genocide launched by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) against unarmed and defenseless civilians in Gaza.
The demonstration was called by the Moroccan Front for Support of Palestine, which is one of the primary groups that have orchestrated mass gatherings of Moroccans who stand in solidarity with Gaza.
Citizens from different regions of Morocco gathered today, chanted anti-Israeli slogans, as well as renewed their calls for the Moroccan government to fully cut diplomatic ties.
Men and women, young and old, wore the kuffieh and waved flags and banners to protest Israel and the US for orchestrating the mass genocide against Palestinians since October 2023.
The banners held include “Don’t stop talking about Palestine” and “Free Palestine.“
The situation in Gaza has been beyond intense as the IOF continues its aggression, with disturbing footage documenting people’s bodies flying with bombs and airstrikes along Gaza.
The viral videos have put the international community under further pressure as it has failed to take bold action to end the Israeli genocide, despite vows and pledges.
Israeli attacks on civilians have killed at least 50,700 since October 2023.
The number of wounded people is over double that of those killed, with reports suggesting that the figures of the injured are estimated at 115,338.
Gaza’s health ministry fears that tens of thousands more victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them.
Among the dead are medics and rescuers who were killed in cold blood by IOF.
Morocco has been hosting dozens of similar protests every week across the country, particularly in Tangier.
Protesters have long condemned the Israeli genocide, urging the Moroccan government to fully support the Palestinian cause and end its ties with Israel.
Morocco re-established relations with Israel in December 2020. The country has stressed its commitment that ties with Israel won’t change its steadfast position in favor of the Palestinian cause, but many Moroccans still call for a full severance of relations.
Data provided by ACLED and the UN previously placed Morocco among the top five countries to protest Israel’s ongoing aggression in Gaza in November 2023.
Palestinian officials and others from resistance groups like Hamas have long emphasized the importance of Moroccans’ unconditional support for Palestinians during the Israeli genocide.
A poll last year showed that 75% of Moroccan respondents see Hamas’ attack of October 7 in 2023, as a legitimate resistance.
The poll by the Doha-based Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies featured responses from 8,000 people from different countries, including Morocco.
About 33% of Moroccans believe that the most important reason for Hamas to carry out the October 7 attack was due to the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, while 17% said that it was a defense operation to safeguard al-Aqsa against attacks.
The poll showed that Moroccan respondents also expressed rejection of the comparison between Hamas and ISIS.
About 68% of Morocco’s respondents believe Hamas is entirely different from ISIS, against 12% who see Hamas as only partially different from the terror organization. Only 4% agree that Hamas is no different than ISIS.
