Iraqis rally against Israeli siege on Gaza

Shafaq News – Baghdad

On Friday, dozens of Iraqis demonstrated in central Baghdad to demand the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and an end to the Israeli blockade.

According to Shafaq News correspondent, the protest took place in Al-Tahrir (Liberation) Square, where participants raised images portraying the suffering of civilians and called for urgent relief. A banner reading “True Promise”—the name of Iran’s June military operation against Israel—was draped over the Freedom Monument.

Since October 2023, Iraq has maintained a firm stance against the Gaza war, rejecting forced Palestinian displacement and opposing normalization with Israel. The government has also sent aid convoys and repeatedly condemned the humanitarian situation.

Article 201 of Iraq’s Penal Code criminalizes any cooperation with Israel, and a 2022 parliamentary law reinforced this position by outlawing normalization efforts with penalties that include life imprisonment or death.