‘Our Protests Will Continue’: Pro-Palestinian Activists Plan More Aussie Rallies Despite Israel-Hamas Deal

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 23: Protesters gather at Flinders Street Station on November 23, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. Organised by School Students For Palestine, the call for action on the group's social media feeds prompted a statement from federal Education Minister Jason Clare that children should be in class during school hours. The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict continues to cause social tensions in societies around the world, including in Australian cities. Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Pro-Palestinian activists have vowed to continue protests in Australia this weekend, despite Israel and Hamas reaching a deal on a temporary ceasefire.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a temporary four day pause in fighting in return for the release of at least 50 Israeli hostages.

However, Palestinian activist groups in Australia released an “urgent” joint statement saying the protests “will continue.”

“The news of a temporary pause of Israel’s genocide in Gaza is being presented as a breakthrough by the Western media. And it’s true that for the people of Gaza, the respite will be a much-need to catch their breath ... but as Palestine solidarity groups, we see nothing to celebrate.”

Free Palestine Melbourne urged “everyone get on the streets this weekend” and continue to “stand in solidarity with Palestine.”

Protests are also planned on Friday and Sunday in Sydney, Palestine Action Group Sydney has promoted on Facebook.

School Strike For Palestine in Melbourne

Meanwhile, a School Strike for Palestine went ahead in Melbourne on Nov. 23 with thousands of students gathering at train stations including Flinders Street Station and Melbourne Central.

The protest went ahead despite more than 6,000 parents, including those from the Jewish community, writing to the Premier and education minister to take a tough stance against the protest.

Liberal Federal shadow education minister Sarah Henderson said “as so many in the Jewish community feared,” the school strike included “vile anti-Semitic chants and signs.”

“Activists including the Greens and Australian Education Union are using these protests to brainwash and manipulate children. Activists including the Greens and Australian Education Union are using these protests to brainwash and manipulate children.”

The phrase “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which is essentially calling for Israel to be destroyed, was among the phrases heard among the students.

Photos shared by Free Palestine Melbourne on social media showed thousands of students on the streets of Melbourne carrying pro-Palestinian flags, banners and posters.

Ms. Henderson was among multiple politicians in both major parties who called for the protest to not go ahead. Others, said that students should remain in school.

Protesters march holding a School Strike for Palestine banner on Nov. 23, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan had advised school is the best place to learn about global events and some of the turmoil in the world.

“If you are wanting to learn about global events, if you are wanting to understand the world we are living in, and some of the turmoil that we are seeing in the world, then school is the best place to get that learning and understanding of how to have respectful engagement with others in our community,” Ms. Allan said ahead of the event.

Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto had also urged students’ against the strike, stating “kids should be in school,” ahead of the strike.

Protesters gather at Flinders Street Station on Nov. 23, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict continues to cause social tensions in societies around the world, including in Australian cities. Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Federal Minister Bill Shorten expressed his view that it’s best students stay at school in an interview prior to the protest.

“I think it’s best the kids stay at school frankly. I’ve been involved in strikes in the past as a union rep. I get the tactic. But the world needs people who are more educated, not missing school frankly. There’s enough people with loud voices,” Mr. Shorten said on the morning of Nov. 23.

Pause in Fighting

The truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is set to start on Friday morning and hostages will be released in the afternoon, a spokesperson for mediator Qatar announced.

This follows extensive meetings in Doha to discuss the “implementation plan of a ceasefire” with both parties and Egyptian counterparts.

Majed Al-Ansari, who is the official spokesperson for the Qatar foreign affairs ministry, said “the list of hostages that will be released has been handed to the Israeli intelligence services.”

“The first batch of hostages will be released from Gaza at 4pm on Friday November 24, he said.

“The humanitarian pause in Gaza will begin at 7 am on Friday November 24.”

Meanwhile, the Qatar Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received a phone call from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Nov. 23.

The two sides discussed the implementation of the humanitarian pause deal, procedures for releasing civilians and flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza strip, according to the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Blinken, posting to X, thanked Qatar for their efforts brokering a deal to release the hostages and discussed future steps to return the hostages and increase humanitarian assistance in Gaza.