More than 200,000 people gathered in the streets of Amsterdam on Sunday to protest the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The demonstration, organized under the banner of the Red Line campaign, saw tens of thousands of participants marching through the city center to voice their demands. Many attendees wore red clothing to visually support the protest movement. According to Amnesty International’s Dutch branch, which served as one of the key organizers, the turnout exceeded 200,000 individuals.
The primary goal of the march was to pressure the Dutch government into ending its arms sales to Israel. Protesters also called for the imposition of tougher trade sanctions. Campaigners urged the Netherlands to formally recognize the actions in Gaza as a genocide and to denounce the system of apartheid in the occupied West Bank. The atmosphere was charged as large crowds chanted slogans in support of Palestinian freedom.
Mike van Dongen, one of the marchers, expressed frustration with the current state of affairs. He described the situation in Gaza as inhumane and criticized the government for what he perceived as inaction. Van Dongen stated that authorities were not taking serious steps and seemed hesitant to make significant moves to address the crisis.
Recent data from Palestinian medical authorities highlights the scale of the humanitarian crisis. The death toll in Gaza has reached 74,643, with another 175,962 people wounded. Among those killed are approximately 22,000 children, while thousands of others remain missing under the rubble. Since the ceasefire that began on October 11, 2025, 1,613 Palestinians have been killed and 5,833 wounded. Additionally, Israel’s war in Lebanon has resulted in more than 4,000 deaths since March.
The International Criminal Court has intensified its legal proceedings against Israeli leadership. Arrest warrants were issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. In May, it was reported that ICC prosecutors applied for a sealed warrant to arrest Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich over similar charges related to the occupied West Bank.
The conflict has placed significant strain on diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and Israel. Last year, Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned after failing to secure cabinet support for additional sanctions. In response to the new minority coalition banning imports from illegal Israeli settlements in September, Israel revoked the accreditation of Dutch diplomats.
Prime Minister Rob Jetten participated in a Red Line march last year but did not join this Sunday’s protest. On Friday, during his weekly news conference, he defended his administration’s approach to the crisis. Jetten stated that his government is doing what it can daily to alleviate the terrible situation.
He emphasized that his team is exerting greater political and diplomatic pressure on Israel to ensure it adheres to its agreements regarding Gaza. The government aims to balance its domestic political pressures with its international diplomatic commitments as the conflict continues to unfold.
