Hundreds of demonstrators poured into the streets of the Tunisian capital on Sunday, voicing unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people as outrage intensifies over the deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Waving Palestinian flags and holding up hand-painted signs, protesters marched through central Tunis chanting slogans that condemned not only Israel’s continued blockade of Gaza but also the perceived silence and inaction of Arab governments.
The demonstration, one of the largest in recent weeks, reflected a growing public frustration across the region. Many Tunisians view the crisis in Gaza not merely as a political issue but as a profound humanitarian and moral emergency. In a poignant display, one protester rhythmically banged an empty cooking pot — a stark symbol of hunger in Gaza, where food, clean water, and medical supplies have become perilously scarce under ongoing Israeli siege and bombardment.
“The hunger in Gaza has reached rock bottom,” said Lotfi Miloudi, a middle-aged demonstrator wrapped in a Palestinian keffiyeh. “The Palestinian people are starving to death. They are being deliberately starved — not only by the Zionists, but with the complicity of some Arab states as well.”
Throughout the march, chants of “Normalization is treason!” echoed loudly — a pointed rebuke to Arab governments that have normalized ties with Israel in recent years. Protesters called on regional leaders to move beyond symbolic statements and take meaningful, tangible action. “Arab countries must do more,” insisted Sondos Gheriani, a university student attending her fourth pro-Palestine rally this year. “Protests are important — silence has never helped. Even if we can’t send money, our voices must be heard.”
Midway through the march, the crowd paused to sing the Tunisian national anthem — a moment of patriotic unity that merged seamlessly with a broader expression of regional and religious solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Among the marchers was Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, a prominent opposition leader and head of the National Salvation Front. His presence at the heart of the protest signaled a deepening alignment between grassroots activism and political figures in Tunisia in support of Palestine.
As demonstrators moved through the city, they passed major landmarks, including the French Cultural Center, whose exterior was spray-painted with bold graffiti reading “Free Gaza” and “Resistance Lives” — messages underscoring frustrations with Western governments’ perceived complicity and silence.
Fury was also directed at regional powers, particularly Egypt, whose control over the Rafah border crossing has drawn fierce criticism. In a passionate outburst, protester Loyer Nawel Toumi condemned Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. “Sisi is the enemy of God! Gaza is fighting for religion, for the Prophet, for our land — the land of Islam,” she shouted. “He closed the tunnels after his coup, starving our people in Gaza. Anyone who fights Islam is the enemy of God!”
Sunday’s protest in Tunis is part of a growing wave of regional demonstrations demanding urgent international intervention as Gaza faces what humanitarian organizations are calling its most severe crisis in decades. The United Nations has warned of an impending famine and a total collapse of essential services in the besieged enclave.
Despite widespread calls for aid and accountability, decisive international action remains elusive. For many across the Arab world, particularly in Tunisia, mass protests remain one of the few remaining tools to voice dissent and show solidarity. As the demonstrators dispersed peacefully in the evening, their message remained visible — painted on city walls, carried in chants, and etched into the collective conscience of a nation unwilling to remain silent in the face of suffering.