Amsterdam ‘Red Line’ march draws 250,000 for Gaza ceasefire
Around 250,000 protesters filled Amsterdam’s streets in one of the Netherlands’ largest pro-Palestinian demonstrations to date, calling on the government to take a stronger stance against Israel’s war in Gaza ahead of the 29 October general election.
- Around 250,000 people joined Amsterdam’s “Red Line” protest demanding a Gaza ceasefire and stronger Dutch action.
- Prime Minister Dick Schoof acknowledged protesters’ concerns, calling Gaza’s suffering “unacceptable” and backing mediation by Qatar and Egypt.
- The protest comes weeks before the Dutch election, amid shifting government policy on Israel.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Amsterdam’s Museum Square on 5 October 2025 before marching through the city centre, demanding that the Dutch government take a stronger position against Israel’s war in Gaza.
Organisers estimated the turnout at about 250,000, a figure confirmed by local police. Most demonstrators wore red to symbolise a “red line” against Israel’s ongoing siege of Gaza.
The protest, the third large-scale “Red Line” rally in the Netherlands this year, followed earlier demonstrations in The Hague that drew between 100,000 and 150,000 participants in May and June.
Organisers said they called for another protest because “too little is happening” to stop the war, even after several months of international appeals for a ceasefire.
Participants marched for 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) through Amsterdam in steady rain, waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans such as “Free, free Palestine” and “We are not free until Gaza is free”. Many held placards accusing Israel of war crimes and urging the Netherlands to act decisively.
PAX Netherlands director Rolien Sasse told media, “We want our government to put pressure on the Israeli government, to make sure that there is a ceasefire.”
The demonstration took place just over three weeks before the Dutch general election scheduled for 29 October. Organisers and participants said they hoped to influence public debate, pressing candidates to commit to stronger measures against Israel’s military actions.
More than 130 human rights organisations supported the rally, including Amnesty International, Oxfam Novib, Pax, and The Rights Forum. Several Jewish organisations also participated, emphasising that opposition to Israel’s policies does not equate to opposition to Jewish identity.
Since May, the Dutch government has gradually hardened its stance towards Israel. In July, it imposed travel bans on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers accused of inciting violence and calling for the “ethnic cleansing” of Gaza.
Last month, the government announced plans to ban imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements within occupied Palestinian territories. It also backed European Commission proposals to suspend trade privileges for Israel under an existing European Union agreement.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof responded to the demonstration on X, saying he understood “the anger, concerns and feelings of powerlessness” of those protesting.
“The immense suffering in Gaza is unacceptable and indefensible,” he wrote, adding that the Dutch government had been urging Israel to change its course and was increasing diplomatic pressure to help achieve a ceasefire.
Schoof described former US President Donald Trump’s new peace proposal as “hopeful” and said the Netherlands supports mediation efforts led by Qatar and Egypt to end the conflict.
“The war in Gaza must stop, and there must be a lasting and just peace in the Middle East,” the Prime Minister added.
Meanwhile, Geert Wilders, leader of the largest party in parliament and known for his anti-Muslim rhetoric, has continued to voice strong support for Israel and criticised what he calls “biased” treatment of its government.
The Amsterdam protest, among the largest in Europe this year, underscored growing public frustration with the pace of international efforts to end the war and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
