Tens of thousands rally around the world against Israel’s Gaza bombardment

A man in Yemen's Sanaa waves a Palestinian flag during a rally in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. [Yahya Arhab/EPA]

Tens of thousands of people have poured onto the streets around the world in support of the Palestinians as Israel prepares for a possible ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Protesters denounced Israel’s heavy bombardment of the besieged enclave that has so far killed more than 1,500 people and it came after an unprecedented attack by Hamas, the group running Gaza, killed more than 1,300 people in Israel.

In Baghdad, large crowds filled Tahrir Square in the centre of the Iraqi capital for protests called by the influential Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr.

In Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, demonstrators took to the streets waving Yemeni and Palestinian flags.

After prayers in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, some worshippers stepped on US and Israeli flags, in a sign of disrespect.

Some 1,000 Muslims rallied in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after Friday prayers to show solidarity with the Palestinians. Chanting “Free Palestine” and “Crush the Zionists”, they burned two effigies draped with Israeli flags.

Islamic leaders in Indonesia appealed to all mosques in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation to pray for peace and safety for the Palestinian people.

The chairman of the Indonesian Mosque Council had urged all mosques to perform the Qunut Nazilahto prayer, one made for protection, to ask for God’s help so that “the conflict in the Gaza Strip would end quickly”.

People also took to the streets of Sri Lanka's Colombo to protest against Israel's bombardment on Gaza. [AP Photo]

People take part in a demonstration in support of Palestinians at the Christopher Columbus monument in Barcelona, Spain. [Toni Albir/EPA]

A man holds a Palestinian flag at a rally in support of Palestinians in Jakarta, Indonesia. [Mast Irham/EPA]

A group of students from different universities stage a demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians in The Hague, Netherlands. [Mouneb Taim/Anadolu]

A woman holds a banner that says 'Free Gaza' in a pro-Palestinian demonstration held in front of the embassy of Israel in Mexico City, Mexico. [Daniel Cardenas/Anadolu]

Protesters they take part in a rally in support of the Palestinians in front of the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. [Martial Trezzini/EPA]

An overview of the massive protest in Baghdad, Iraq. [Ahmed Saad/Reuters]

People take part in a rally in support of Palestinians in Canberra, Australia. [Mick tsikas/EPA]

People with Palestinian flags demonstrate in support of the Palestinian people in Caracas, Venezuela. [Miquel Gutierrez/EPA]

People in Turkey's Istanbul attend a demonstration to express solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. [Murad Sezer/Reuters]

Jordanians gather in Amman to also express their solidarity with Palestinians. [Alaa Al Sukhni/Reuters]