Massive demonstration in Baghdad to show support to Palestinians amid escalating Israel-Hamas war

(13 Oct 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Baghdad, Iraq - 13 October 2023
1. Various of Israeli flags marked with crosses being burned in street
2. Various top shots of crowd in Tahrir Square
3. Various of demonstrators waving Iraqi and Palestinian flags, holding pictures of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hazem al Araji, general supervisor of demonstration in Baghdad:
“People of Gaza, people of Palestine; all Iraqis are with you hand by hand to liberate Palestine, and this demonstration of million is just a small activity in support of your resistance and in support to your victories, and God willing the victory is near.”
5. Various of crowd of demonstrators
6. Demonstrators moving in circle with Iraqi and Palestinian flags
7. Various of demonstrators with Iraqi and Palestinian flags
STORYLINE:
Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered Friday in Tahrir Square in the center of Baghdad to show support for Palestinians and protest against the Israeli aerial bombardment of Gaza in the wake of the deadly surprise attack by the Hamas militant group.

“People of Gaza, people of Palestine; all Iraqis are with you hand by hand to liberate Palestine,” said Hazem al Araji, the general supervisor of the rally.

The protest was called by influential Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr, who called on Monday for protesters to converge on Baghdad from all around the country in "peaceful, unified, million-man demonstration."

He called for the demonstrators to hoist Palestinian flags and burn the flag of Israel.

Similar protests have been called for by Hamas, its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and various Palestinian factions in Lebanon, Syria and other Arab countries following afternoon prayers on Friday.

The protests come as Israel appears to be gearing up for a ground offensive in Gaza. Israel’s military delivered sweeping evacuation orders for almost half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people Friday.

AP video shot by Ali Jabar

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