Pro-Palestine supporters from the City of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal took to the beachfront this past weekend, to stand in solidarity with the nation as the conflict between Israel and Palestine continues.
A sea of black, red and white flags could be seen on the promenade on Sunday, according to various local media reports and videos circulating social media.
Chants of “from the land to the sea, Palestine will be free” could be heard in the videos as well.
Protesters in support of Palestine also held up placards, some with the face of former South African President Nelson Mandela and quotes from the global icon, who was a vocal supporter of the Islamic nation.
Veteran photojournalist Rajesh Jantilal was at the protest and captured the march.
“Hundreds of people from Youth For Palestine, United For Palestine and other NGO's march from the North to the South Beach today. Organised by Lajpaal Foundation and Durban For Palestine, the protesters called for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages,” Jantilal wrote on Facebook.
"There's a genocide taking place, it's a Palestinian holocaust. We are out here today to show our support and our solidarity for all the people in Palestine and in Gaza,” a protester Naseema Khan was quoted saying in Al Mayadeen.
“All the children in the world are our children and we feel the pain, we feel the suffering, we feel what they feel in their hearts and I can't even begin to imagine the strength they have to move on and relocate and go to other places,” another protester Wafeeqah Thawodien told the publication.
Another protester told the publication that they stood up during the days of apartheid and there is no reason for not doing the same now, as thousands die on both sides of the border due to the actions of those in charge.
More than 50 days into the war and the death toll on the Gaza strip has risen higher than 14,000, while around 1,200 Israelis, both civilian and military, have been killed, according to the Iran Front Page.
Hostage negotiations have also been under way as Hamas releases people that it took hostage since the war began. These are not only Israeli citizens, but people of other nationalities as well.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they will continue the fighting until Gaza is no longer a threat.
“We are committed to completing these missions: Freeing all of the hostages, eliminating this terrorist organisation above and below the ground and, of course, that Gaza must not return to being what it was — that it will no longer constitute a threat to the State of Israel,” Netanyahu was quoted saying in the Iran Front Page.
IOL