Tens of thousands of Tunisians poured into the streets of cities and towns across the country this week to condemn Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, which has left more than 50,000 Palestinians dead since October 2023, the majority of them women and children.

From the south to the north, demonstrators waved Palestinian flags, carried banners denouncing the genocide in Gaza, and chanted slogans demanding an immediate ceasefire and justice for the victims. The protests, some of the largest in recent years, were sparked by a renewed wave of Israeli bombardments that resumed in mid-March following the collapse of a brief ceasefire.

"This is not a war; it is a systematic extermination of an entire people," shouted one protester in Tunisia’s third largest city of Sousse, holding a sign that read "Gaza Bleeds, the World Watches." Others carried photographs of Palestinian children killed in Israeli airstrikes and called on the international community to intervene.

The demonstrations were largely peaceful but deeply emotional, with many Tunisians expressing frustration at what they see as the failure of world powers to stop the carnage.

“Every day we wake up to images of massacred families, of children pulled from rubble. This is unbearable,” Anissa Ben Othman, a university student who joined the march in Sousse told PRC. “We can no longer remain silent.”

Civil society groups, trade unions, student organizations, and political parties spanning the ideological spectrum participated in the mobilizations, underscoring Tunisia’s broad-based support for the Palestinian cause.

The protesters issued a statement calling on the Tunisian government to take firmer diplomatic action and sever all ties with entities complicit in the aggression.

“Gaza is not alone,” another protester told PRC. “This genocide is a stain on the conscience of humanity. We demand the end of all military operations and an immediate lifting of the siege.”

In addition to street protests, activists staged sit-ins in front of foreign embassies, called for boycotts of companies associated with Israel, and organized public forums and cultural events to raise awareness about the crisis.

The Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly condemned Israel’s actions, but protesters are urging stronger measures. “Symbolic statements are not enough,” said Mohamed, a human rights lawyer who joined the demonstrations. “Tunisia must lead a regional effort to hold Israel accountable before international courts.”

According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 50,600 Palestinians have been killed and over 115,000 wounded since the start of the Israeli onslaught in October 2023. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened, hospitals destroyed, and aid convoys blocked. UN agencies have described the situation as “apocalyptic,” warning of famine, disease, and total collapse of Gaza’s infrastructure.

“We will not stop until Gaza breathes,” said Souheila Maaroufi, one of the protest organizers. “This is not just Palestine’s battle—it is ours, and it is the battle of all who believe in justice, dignity, and humanity.”