Tens of thousands of people flooded the streets of Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, on Sunday to show solidarity with Palestinians and protest Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
The Gaza Solidarity March, organized by the religiopolitical party Jamaat-e-Islami, transformed Karachi’s main Shara-e-Faisal Road into a sea of Palestinian flags, banners, and impassioned chants. Under the blazing sun, demonstrators waved portraits of Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Al-Sinwar—killed last year—and displayed their images flashing the victory sign on utility poles.
A haunting symbol lined the pavement: dozens of dolls wrapped in white shrouds, representing children killed in Gaza.
The crowd, which organizers estimated at over 100,000, included thousands of women—many veiled and with children in tow—as well as members of Pakistan’s Christian and Hindu communities. Students carried a 100-foot-long Palestinian flag, which became a striking centerpiece of the event.
Chants of “Labbaik ya Gaza” and “Labbaik ya Aqsa” (“Gaza, we are here” and “Aqsa, we are here”) echoed through the streets as Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman and other leaders formed a human chain.
“Palestinians will never surrender to subjugation,” Rehman declared to the crowd.
Protester Ali Mustafa held a sign that read, “Liberation or martyrdom,” vowing unwavering support from Karachi and all of Pakistan for the Palestinian cause.
Christian leader Younas Sohan criticized global powers for backing Israel, accusing them of enabling attacks on civilians, hospitals, and shelters.
Nearby, thousands more gathered at a separate Palestine Solidarity Conference held by Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI), where party chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman labeled Israel a “terrorist state” and blamed the U.S. and several European countries for supporting what he called Israeli war crimes.
According to Palestinian health officials, Israel’s military campaign, which began in October 2023, has killed nearly 51,000 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children.
In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Separately, Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
