Pro-Palestinian rally draws thousands into downtown Toronto

A pro-Palestinian rally drew thousands to Nathan Phillips Square on Saturday with demonstrators pleading for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

The rally was organized by Toronto4Palestine and it was one of many demonstrations that took place across the city and around the world.

Surrounding a memorial with images of children from Gaza impacted by the violence, the demonstrators also called on the Canadian government to do more to get hostages out of the region.

Waqas Ali said he joined the protest to show solidarity with Palestinian people after the Canadian government abstained from voting for a United Nations General Assembly resolution that passed on Friday.

It called for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” in the region, but did not mention Hamas, its attacks or its tactics. Bob Rae, Canada’s permanent UN envoy, introduced an amendment that “unequivocally rejects and condemns” the attacks while demanding the “immediate and unconditional” safe release of all hostages. The amendment was ultimately defeated and Canada abstained from casting a vote on the resolution’s final wording.

“There are kids, babies being killed over there,” he said. “Had it been one of our own children we would not abstain, but we completely have. So that’s shameful.”

Yaseen said he was born in Toronto to a Palestinian family and has extended family members living in Gaza.

“Our demand is simple: right now we want the ceasing of bombs, carpet bombing of civilian population.”

The Palestinian death toll in Gaza on Saturday rose to just over 7,700 people in the three weeks since the war began, with 377 deaths reported since late Friday, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. A majority of those killed have been women and minors, the ministry said.

For Salim, the people of Palestine are facing collective punishment for the “crime” of living under Hamas rule.

“The Canadian government considers Hamas a terrorist organization, which is fine,” Salim said. “But don’t forget there are two million civilians that live in Gaza and Hamas does not represent them.”

The demonstrations come as Israel launched an expanded ground operation in the enclave on Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an address to the nation on Saturday evening saying the latest actions marked a new phase in the country’s war with Hamas, the governing body in Gaza that was behind a brutal Oct. 7 incursion into Israel that saw more than 1,400 people killed and at least 200 others taken hostage.

An interfaith candlelight vigil is being held at Spadina Avenue and Bloor Street on Saturday night with participants calling for peace in the Middle East.

Toronto police have warned drivers about possible traffic delays due to rallys being held this weekend.

Deputy Police Chief Lauren Pogue said Friday officers will also be on the lookout for things that constitute hate speech at these various events, including signage and propaganda.

Toronto police say there has been a 132 per cent increase in reported hate crime incidents since the war began in the Gaza strip. Pogue says as of Oct. 7, police have reviewed 15 anti-Semitic – more than double at the same time a year ago – and five anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim incidents, compared to zero last year.

Files from Melissa Nakhavoly and The Associated Press were used in this report