Thousands of people in Sydney and Melbourne came together on Nov. 19 at pro-Palestinian rallies. In Sydney, the protesters gathered in Hyde Park, chanting, “From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free,” “Palestine will never die,” and “ceasefire now.” At the same time, in Dover Heights, Israel supporters flew kites rallying for the release of hostages held in Palestine.
Meanwhile, an estimated 15,000 protestors gathered in Melbourne, at the State Library and marched towards Treasury Gardens. These protests have resulted in a high cost, with reports suggesting that major protests in Sydney are costing close to $1 million to the New South Wales taxpayer.
The protests come in the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel, which has led to over 1,200 casualties, as well as the recent efforts by pro-Palestinian activists to block an Israeli shipping line from entering Sydney’s port. This marks just one of the many planned events, such as the school strike and the protest at Mr. Minns’ office organized by the Palestine Action Group.
The White House has responded to claims of a potential deal on the release of hostages in exchange for a temporary pause in fighting. An article in the Washington Post suggested that such a deal might be in the works, however, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed these claims, stating that as of now, no deal has been struck.
Despite the uncertainty, Australian Coalition Senator James Paterson said, “that’s very welcome,” regarding the possibility of an agreement. He emphasized the potential impact such an agreement could have on the aid being provided in the Gaza strip, indicating that if a humanitarian pause could be arranged, it could be beneficial to innocent people in the Gaza Strip.