Millions of Muslims hold protests to condemn Israeli atrocities against Palestinians

Protests have been held in several states including Iran, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan, and Jordan on Friday with more expected to unfold later in the day. They come as the Hamas resistance movement had called on people to stage rallies on Friday in support of Palestine.

In Iran, tens of thousands of people participated in the nationwide rallies, chanting slogans in support of Palestinians and in condemnation of the United States and the apartheid Tel Aviv regime.

The demonstrators also were carrying pro-Palestine banners. Some Iranian political figures also participated in the protests.

"The intricate, hybrid and heroic Operation al-Aqsa Storm dealt a fatal blow to the temporary and collapsing Zionist regime, which will be recorded in history," Iran’s Islamic Propagation Organization said in a statement on Friday, noting that the operation marks an irreparable intelligence and military failure for the usurping Israeli regime and an epic victory of the resistance front.

"This surprise and strategic operation in the heart of the occupied territories significantly changed all equations on the ground in favor of Palestinian resistance groups and brave youths, and reaffirmed the strategic depth that liberation of the holy city of al-Quds has both at regional and international levels," the statement read.

The Islamic Propagation Organization noted that the crushing operation by Palestinian resistance groups "dispelled the Israeli dream of expanding from the Nile to the Euphrates", showed that "the Zionist regime is weaker than a spider's web", and debunked the "invincibility myth of the child-killing regime more than ever."

"This pre-emptive and innovative operation clearly proved that the era of hit and run has ended, and the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa will be razed to ground by the sizeable Islamic resistance front in case Israel makes the slightest mistake," the statement also read.

"Now that the Zionist enemy has suffered a disgraceful defeat from the Palestinian fighters on the battlefield and sees its prestige as well as military and security position destroyed, it targets the oppressed people of Gaza and insanely bombs mosques, schools and hospitals, and kills innocent civilians.

The regime, relying on the help of the Great Satan (the US), is trying to restore its lost reputation.

Supporters of Israel accomplice in its crimes

Also on Friday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi slammed the Western support for the Israeli crimes.

"Countries that support the Zionist regime should know that they are accomplices in the regime's crimes," he said while addressing a gathering of people in Rostam County, Fars Province.

The "rightful demands and resistance" of Palestinian people will not end with such crimes, he said, adding that Palestinians "have had enough."

"The issue of Palestine will not end by destroying Gaza; the people of Palestine and the world will hold you accountable because we consider defending Palestine as our duty," he said while addressing Western supporters of the regime, especially the US.

'Heavy defeat'

Addressing thousands of Tehran before Friday prayer sermon starts, chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami described the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation as the "biggest failure of the Zionist regime since 1948 and the greatest victory for the Palestinian movement."

"This operation was the result of the accumulation of anger of a nation that has been displaced from their lands by occupiers," he said while pointing to the history of Israeli crimes against Palestinians such as the Sabra and Shatila massacre in 1982.

This was a "heavy defeat" for the Israeli regime because "Palestine could deal a devastating blow to the regime's military and intelligence bodies without the partnership of any other power," Salami said.

Palestinian medical authorities say more than 1,500 people have been killed and many more injured due to Israeli bombardment across the Gaza Strip.
Hospital officials in the Strip have recorded the death of 1,572 civilians and injury of 7,262 others. A large number of buildings, homes and public facilities have also been badly damaged due to heavy Israeli bombardments.

'No to Occupation'

Thousands of Iraqis convened on the streets of the capital, Baghdad, to voice their support for Palestine.

They chanted slogans such as “No to the occupation" and "No to America” while burning the Israeli regime's flags during mass demonstrations in Tahrir Square.

Demonstrators raised Iraqi and Palestinian flags, expressing their readiness to stand beside the Palestinian nation in the battle against the Israeli regime.

Demonstrations in Yemen

Responding to the Palestinian call for protests, tens of thousands of Yemenis poured into the streets of Sa'ada to voice their support for the Palestinian cause.

In a statement, organizers of the demonstration stressed Yemenis' readiness to help Palestine.

"We are ready for active participation and the dispatching of hundreds of thousands of fighters to defend Palestine," it said.

Demonstrators chanted slogans against the Israeli occupation and the US as the main supporter of the regime.

Jordanians defy ban, move towards border to show support

Thousands of Jordanians moved towards the border with occupied lands to voice their support for Palestine despite a ban announced by Amman.

Latest footage shows Jordanian police firing tear gas to disperse crowds of people.

Jordan banned protests Thursday near its border with Palestinian territories amid Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.

“Calls for gatherings and demonstrations in the Jordan Valley and border areas are not allowed,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement as it vowed to take measures to prevent any protests near the border.