Hamas Leader Declares "Worldwide Mobilization"... Will Anti-Israel Protests Intensify?

Palestinian armed group Hamas issued a general mobilization order worldwide on the 20th (local time) to protest against Israel.

There are concerns that anti-Israel and anti-American protests, which have spread worldwide following the recent Gaza Strip hospital explosion tragedy, may intensify.

According to the Israeli local daily The Jerusalem Post, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh issued a general mobilization order to Arabs and Muslims around the world on that day. Haniyeh also urged supporters living in neighboring countries to march toward the Israeli border.

On the same day, Al Jazeera reported that Hamas "called on Palestinian residents, Arabs, Muslims, and free citizens worldwide" to "join protests supporting Palestine and opposing the displacement of residents."

Pro-Palestinian Rally in Lebanon
Photo by Yonhap News

Since the explosion tragedy at Al-Ahli Hospital in the Gaza Strip on the 17th, which claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians, protests against Israel have continued mainly in Arab and Islamic regions such as the Middle East and North Africa. This is due to Israel's indiscriminate airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in retaliation for Hamas's surprise attack.

Although the possibility has emerged that the hospital explosion was caused by a misfired rocket from the Palestinian armed group rather than an Israeli military attack, anger in the Arab world has not easily subsided. The protests appear to be spreading to other regions such as Europe.

On the 18th, U.S. President Joe Biden, who visited Israel, reaffirmed his full support for Israel, and in some areas such as Lebanon and Iran, anti-Israel protests have also turned into anti-American demonstrations. The United States issued a safety advisory to its citizens abroad the day before, heightening tensions worldwide.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.