Tens of thousands of people, many dressed in red, have marched through Amsterdam in a mass demonstration aimed at pressing the Dutch government to take more decisive action against Israel over Gaza.
Organisers of the "Red Line" demonstration called for measures including stricter trade sanctions on Israel, an official declaration that Israel's aggression in Gaza amounts to genocide, and a complete halt to all arms exports to the country.
The Dutch branch of Amnesty International, one of the primary organisers, stated in an online post that upwards of 200,000 people joined the demonstration as it moved through normally bustling city centre thoroughfares closed to traffic.
Marchers echoed chants of "Free, free Palestine!" broadcast through loudspeakers along the route.
Israel’s genocidal war has severely strained relations between the Netherlands and Israel.
The former Dutch foreign minister resigned last year after failing to secure parliamentary backing for fresh sanctions against Tel Aviv.
Government defence
Since taking office, the current minority coalition government introduced an import ban on products originating from illegal Israeli settlements, prompting a diplomatic dispute with Israeli authorities.
Defending his record at a weekly press conference on Friday, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten stated: "Every single day and every single week, we do what we can to alleviate the terrible situation there."
Jetten said his administration is "exerting greater political and diplomatic pressure" on Israel to abide by agreements.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 1,550 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since a ceasefire took effect in October 2025, with women and children comprising roughly half of the recorded deaths.
