Tens of thousands of Australians took to the streets in over 40 cities and towns, including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, to demand immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The peaceful protests, described by organizers as the largest pro-Palestine demonstrations in Australia’s history, called for sanctions on Israel, an end to Australia’s arms trade with Israel, and unrestricted humanitarian aid to combat the famine gripping Gaza. While police estimated 10,000 participants in Sydney, the Palestine Action Group reported up to 100,000 in Sydney alone and 350,000 nationwide, reflecting widespread public outrage over the ongoing war.

In Melbourne, protesters gathered outside the State Library of Victoria, chanting “Sanction Israel now” and “Free Palestine,” with similar scenes in Brisbane’s Queens Park and Adelaide’s Victoria Square, where approximately 5,000 rallied before marching to Parliament House. Independent Senator Fatima Payman addressed the Adelaide crowd, while Greens Senator Larissa Waters in Brisbane condemned Australia’s role in supplying F-35 jet components to Israel. Organizers, including Nour Salman and Josh Lees of the Palestine Action Group, emphasized that Australia’s planned recognition of Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September 2025 must be paired with stronger measures, such as economic sanctions and an arms embargo, to address the crisis.

The protests were spurred by a recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, which confirmed famine in Gaza City, with over 500,000 people—about a quarter of Gaza’s population—facing catastrophic hunger. The Gaza Health Ministry reports 62,263 deaths since the war began on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas-led attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages. While Israel disputes the ministry’s figures and denies starvation policies, the UN considers them reliable. The rallies, backed by over 250 unions and community groups, underscore growing Australian public support for Palestinian statehood, with 82% viewing Israel’s blockade as unjustified, amplifying pressure on the Albanese government to act decisively.

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