Demonstrators Rally in Paris with Olive Branches and Kites in Solidarity with Palestine

Demonstrators gathered in the French capital Paris on Saturday for a pro-Palestinian march, carrying olive branches and kites as symbols of their movement, Anadolu reports.

The protest began near the historic Bastille Square, with participants marching through central Paris toward the Fontaine des Innocents despite inclement weather conditions.

Carrying olive branches, which represent peace and hold significant cultural meaning in Palestinian tradition, the demonstrators chanted slogans such as “There is genocide in Gaza, we will not remain silent” while calling for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

The participants also flew kites adorned with Palestinian flag motifs, a response to reports that Gaza’s children have been deprived of their right to engage in such recreational activities.

Protesters demanded the release of all Palestinian prisoners, including medical professionals, and marked numbers on their faces and arms to protest reports that some Palestinians detained by Israeli forces had numbers written on their foreheads.

Impact on Gaza’s Children

Hamas stated that the kites were toys flown by children and accused Israel of using them as justification for further escalation against Palestinians.

The United Nations Human Rights Office criticized Israeli threats to evacuate areas of Gaza over kite-flying, declaring such threats unacceptable given Israel’s obligations under international law to protect civilian populations.

The Israeli warnings have prompted local organizations in Gaza to urge families to prohibit children from flying kites, concerned that kites carried by winds toward Israeli territory could serve as justification for renewed military operations.

For many children, the Israeli threats transformed a simple recreational activity into something they felt compelled to abandon.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, since a United States-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, Israeli attacks have resulted in 1,296 Palestinian deaths and 4,296 injuries. Since October 2023, the Israeli military has killed more than 73,000 people and injured over 174,000 others in its military offensive against the Gaza Strip.

Source link