Tens of thousands of red-clad protesters marched through The Hague on Sunday, demanding government action to halt Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Organizers labeled the demonstration as the largest in the Netherlands in two decades, with human rights groups and aid agencies, including Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders, estimating the peaceful crowd at over 100,000 participants.
The streets of the Dutch political capital were filled with individuals of all ages, including families with babies attending their first protest. The march passed the Peace Palace, home to the United Nations’ International Court of Justice, where judges had previously ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death and destruction in Gaza.
Protesters walked a 5-kilometer loop around the city center, symbolically creating a "red line" that they believe the government has failed to establish. Marjon Rozema of Amnesty International stated, “We are calling on the Dutch government: stop political, economic and military support to Israel as long as it blocks access to aid supplies and while it is guilty of genocide, war crimes and structural human rights violations in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.”
The issue of Dutch policy toward Israel is just one of many factors causing divides within the Netherlands’ fragile coalition government. Hard-right leader Geert Wilders, who is staunchly pro-Israel, leads the anti-immigrant Party for Freedom, which holds the largest number of seats in parliament. Wilders criticized the protesters in a post on X, accusing them of supporting Hamas and labeling them "confused."
In contrast, Foreign Affairs Minister Caspar Veldkamp of the minority center-right VVD party urged the European Union to reassess its trade agreement with Israel, arguing that the blockade of humanitarian aid violates international law. This statement drew ire from Wilders, who denounced the call as an “affront to cabinet policy.”
As tensions rise and advocacy for humanitarian aid continues, the protest underscores the increasing scrutiny on the Netherlands' stance towards Israel and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
