Demonstrators rally in Ottawa against Israeli airstrikes in Gaza

A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator in Ottawa on March 18, 2025. (Shaun Vardon/CTV News Ottawa)

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets of Ottawa on Tuesday a day after Israel launched a wave of airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, killing hundreds.

A rally organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement was held at the Human Rights Monument before marching began on Elgin and Rideau streets and moved towards the ByWard Market.

Demonstrators are calling on Canada to institute an arms embargo with Israel and for a permanent ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.

“We are mobilizing a protest in support of Gaza to end the 17-month-long siege and to call for a permanent and long-lasting ceasefire,” said Emad Al Hakeemi, an organizer for the protest.

“It’s not a two sided conflict – there is one side that holds all the weapons, that holds most of the support from the western forces.”

The strikes have killed more than 400 people and wounded hundreds more, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says over half the dead are women and children. The attack could signal the full resumption of the Israel-Hamas War that began on Oct. 7, 2023.

“It doesn’t matter who it is, what matters is each life matters,” said protester Osama Kamar.

“We’re all interconnected it doesn’t matter about religion, it doesn’t matter about faith, what matters is we’re all humans at the end of the day.”

Israel says the military strike was against Hamas, in response to the militant group’s refusal to release the remaining 59 hostages.

Hamas, which has yet to respond militarily to the Israeli strikes, warned that Israel is breaching their ceasefire and jeopardizing the roughly two dozen Israeli hostages who are believed to still be alive in Hamas captivity.

Meanwhile, Noah Shack, interim President at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, says months of pro-Palestinian demonstrations have some in his community concerned.

“The right to protest in a cherished right in Canada and it’s fundamental to our democracy but I think we also have to recognize that people also have a right to live free from fear from hate and from violence here in Canada,” he said.

“All too often we are seeing the glorification of terrorism support for organizations like Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups being vocalized and voiced and celebrated at some of these protests.”

The war has killed over 48,500 Palestinians, according to local health officials.

With files from The Associated Press and CTV’s Shaun Vardon