Tens of thousands of protesters marched through The Hague on Sunday demanding a tougher stance from the Dutch government against Israel's war in Gaza.
Organizer Oxfam Novib said around 100,000 protesters had joined the march, most dressed in red, expressing their desire for a "red line" against Israel's siege on Gaza, where it has cut off medical, food, and fuel supplies.
The march also passed the seat of the International Court of Justice, which is hearing a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide, and last year ordered Israel to halt a military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Israel dismisses accusations of genocide as baseless and has argued in court that its operations in Gaza are self-defense and targeted at Hamas militants who attacked Israel on October 7.
Oxfam Novib said the Dutch government had ignored what it said were war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, and urged protesters to demand a tougher line.
Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Caspar Veldkamp said earlier this month he wanted the EU to reconsider its cooperation agreements with Israel.
But the Dutch government has so far refrained from harsher criticism, and the leader of the largest party in the government coalition, anti-Muslim populist Geert Wilders, has repeatedly voiced unwavering support for Israel.
Geert Wilder draws a red line of his own
Wilders called Sunday's protesters "confused" and accused them in a post on X of supporting Hamas.
Vandaag ‘n demo in DHaag tegen Israël + voor Hamas. Duizenden verwarde mensen trekken een rode lijn.Ik trek ook een rode lijn. Tegen terreur en het uithongeren vd eigen bevolking door #Hamas en voor het maximaal vernietigen van hun moorddadige infrastructuur. En voor #Israël. pic.twitter.com/UhINheF7wh
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 18, 2025
Wilders decided to publically draw a red line of his own againt terror and against Hamas.