Pro-Palestinian demonstrators rally outside Met Gala, urging end to Gaza conflict

(MENAFN) On Monday, outside the Met Gala, a prestigious fashion event at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art, pro-Palestinian demonstrators voiced their demands for an end to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip. Reports suggest that the New York City Police Department (NYPD) arrested several protesters during the rally.

Amidst the glamorous backdrop of the annual Met Gala, where celebrities dazzled on the red carpet, the NYPD assured the public of safety and security.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip erupted following an attack by Hamas on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,200 casualties. Since then, Palestinian health authorities report over 34,700 fatalities, predominantly comprising women and children, with 78,100 others sustaining injuries.

After nearly seven months of conflict, extensive portions of Gaza are in ruins, with 85 percent of the enclave's population internally displaced. The UN has highlighted the dire humanitarian situation, attributing it to a blockade severely restricting access to essential resources like food, water, and medicine.

Accusations of genocide against Israel have been raised at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In a preliminary ruling issued in January, the ICJ deemed it "plausible" that Israel's actions in Gaza constitute genocide, urging Tel Aviv to halt such activities and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians.

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