Prime Minister Meloni has come under increasing pressure at home for her perceived reluctance to forcefully denounce Israel’s actions in Gaza
Tens of thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Rome on Saturday to protest against the ongoing war in Gaza, in a rally organized by Italy’s main opposition parties. Protesters accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government of failing to take a clear stand against Israel’s military campaign.
The protest, marked by a sea of rainbow, Palestinian, and political party flags, moved peacefully through central Rome. At the forefront, demonstrators held a banner reading “Stop the massacre, stop complicity!” echoing the primary message of the day.
Organizers claimed up to 300,000 people joined the rally, which included a diverse crowd from all corners of Italy — families with children, young activists, trade unionists, and members of civil society. The demonstration was convened by the leftist opposition, including the center-left Democratic Party, to demand a stronger and more explicit stance from the government on the Gaza conflict.
“This is an enormous popular response to say enough to the massacre of Palestinians and the crimes of (Israeli leader Benjamin) Netanyahu’s government,” said Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein, speaking to reporters during the march. “There is another Italy that doesn’t remain silent as the Meloni government does,” she added, sharply criticizing the prime minister’s muted response to the war.
Prime Minister Meloni has come under increasing pressure at home for her perceived reluctance to forcefully denounce Israel’s actions in Gaza. Though she recently urged Israel to scale back its military campaign, many in the opposition viewed her comments as “timid” and insufficient.
Nadin Unali, a protester of Tunisian origin who participated in the march, criticized the government’s inaction. “(The Italian government) is not reacting despite an abnormal massacre, despite an absolutely cruel and inappropriate reaction. The government remains silent,” she said.
The protest comes amid mounting international outrage over Israel’s military operations, which have led to widespread civilian casualties and a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Humanitarian organizations and foreign governments alike have called for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted delivery of aid into the besieged territory.
Gaza has remained under near-total blockade for nearly three months. Experts have warned that the living conditions of the strip’s 2 million residents are deteriorating rapidly, with many on the brink of famine due to food, water, and medicine shortages.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise assault on Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and kidnapping 251 hostages. As of now, 56 hostages are still in captivity, around a third of whom are believed to be alive. In response, Israel launched a prolonged and devastating military campaign across Gaza. According to the Gaza Health Ministry — which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tallies — more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed so far, the majority of them women and children. As global scrutiny intensifies, protests like the one in Rome are adding to the political and diplomatic pressure on leaders worldwide to act decisively to end the war and prevent further loss of life.
