TANGIERS, Morocco: Thousands of Moroccans gathered in Tangier on Sunday to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and protest against Morocco’s ties with Israel. Demonstrators, including leftist parties and Islamist movements, chanted “Gaza is not alone” in the streets of the coastal city. The protest was triggered by reports of an Israeli ship docking at Tangier port on June 19, although Moroccan authorities have not confirmed this.
On June 24, Morocco sent 40 tons of medical aid to Gaza, which has been devastated by the ongoing conflict since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7. This attack resulted in 1,195 deaths, primarily civilians, and the kidnapping of 251 hostages, with 116 still in Gaza. In response, Israel launched a military offensive that has killed at least 38,153 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
The protesters also called for an end to Morocco’s ties with Israel. Despite these protests, Morocco has officially condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as violations of international law but has not indicated any intention to reverse its normalization of relations with Israel. Demonstrations have continued across Morocco since the Gaza war erupted in October.
