Massive crowds gathered in Amsterdam on Sunday as tens of thousands of demonstrators, many wearing red clothing, paraded through the Dutch capital to demand that the national government take firmer action against Israel regarding the war in Gaza.
The demonstration was spearheaded by organizers of the "Red Line" movement in the Netherlands. Demonstrators pushed for three key policy changes: enacting stricter trade sanctions against Israel, formally recognizing Israel's military campaign in Gaza as genocide, and placing a complete embargo on all arms sales to the country.
Participation estimates reached hundreds of thousands according to event organizers. The Dutch branch of Amnesty International, which helped organize the rally, stated in an online post that more than 200,000 people took part in the march across the city.
As the massive procession moved down a normally bustling Amsterdam thoroughfare that had been closed to vehicular traffic for the event, demonstrators voiced deep frustration with political leadership. Protester Mike van Dongen criticized the response of the Dutch authorities while marching in the crowd. "What is happening there is inhumane," Van Dongen said, adding, "As far as I'm concerned, they are doing nothing. They don't dare take any serious steps." Along the route, a demonstrator positioned atop a bus stop used a loudspeaker to lead chants of "Free, free Palestine!", a rallying cry echoed by crowds of passing marchers.
The military operations in Gaza have severely strained diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and Israel. Last year, the Dutch foreign minister resigned after failing to gain approval for new sanctions against Israel. Following that departure, a new minority coalition government assumed power and instituted an import ban on products originating from Israeli settlements—which both the Dutch government and the broader international community view as illegal. The decision to ban settlement products triggered a sharp diplomatic spat between the Netherlands and Israel.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who attended a similar protest march last year but was absent from Sunday's rally, addressed criticism during his weekly press conference on Friday. Jetten defended his administration's diplomatic record, stating, "Every single day and every single week, we do what we can to alleviate the terrible situation there." He explained that his government is "exerting greater political and diplomatic pressure" to compel Israel to abide by its commitments regarding Gaza. Jetten further noted that his administration is simultaneously applying increased pressure on Hamas and affiliated groups that carry out operations threatening the security of ordinary Israeli citizens.
Israel has firmly denied accusations of genocide in Gaza throughout the conflict, which erupted following the October 7, 2023 attack led by Hamas militants in southern Israel. In that initial assault, armed militants killed approximately 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages. Israel responded with a wide-scale military campaign that has devastated large parts of Gaza and resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths.
Despite a ceasefire established between Israel and Hamas in October 2025, violence has persisted. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led administration, Israeli forces have killed more than 1,550 Palestinians in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect. While the ministry does not differentiate between combatants and non-combatants in its casualty reports, it states that women and children account for approximately half of those killed.
