KARACHI: Thousands of Pakistanis, including women and children, marched in the southern port city of Karachi on Sunday in solidarity with Palestinians, as the head of a religio-political party called for stronger action by Islamabad and other Muslim governments over continuing Israeli attacks in Gaza.

The Gaza March, organized by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), was held on Shahrah-e-Quaideen, where participants carrying Palestinian flags, placards and banners chanted slogans in support of Palestinians and against Israel.

The demonstration came days before the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which the Palestinian group said was launched in response to Israeli occupation and actions against Palestinians and Al Aqsa Mosque.

Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in the territory, and devastated much of the enclave.

Israel has faced accusations of genocide over its conduct in Gaza, including in a case brought by South Africa before the International Court of Justice, though its government denies the allegations.

“The policy of the state of Pakistan and the policy of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam [Muhammad Ali Jinnah], should be kept in mind when speaking, rather than speaking under American pressure,” JI Pakistan chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman told the gathering.

Pakistan has repeatedly backed Palestinian statehood and called for an end to Israeli military action in Gaza at international forums, while also joining US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace as part of efforts to support a ceasefire, reconstruction and a political settlement.

Rehman questioned the effectiveness of international peace efforts and accused Israel of continuing attacks in Gaza and the occupied West Bank despite the ceasefire.

“Even after the ceasefire, Israeli forces have advanced,” he said. “Even after the ceasefire, they are murdering Muslims in Gaza and the West Bank.”

At least 1,400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect last year, according to health officials in the territory. Israel says Hamas has been rearming and launching attacks in violation of the ceasefire, an allegation the Palestinian group denies.

Rehman called for greater unity among Muslim countries over Palestine and said Islamabad should maintain its longstanding position on the Palestinian issue.

Pakistan does not recognize Israel and supports the establishment of an independent, sovereign and geographically contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Rehman said JI, in collaboration with its charity arm Alkhidmat Foundation, had sent more than Rs10 billion ($35.8 million) in humanitarian assistance for Palestinians, provided medical support and launched scholarships for Palestinian students.

Addressing the protest, Monem Zafar, JI’s Karachi chief, said Palestinian deaths and widespread destruction in Gaza had drawn greater international attention to the Palestinian cause.

“These sacrifices at this historical juncture have created such an environment that, as a result, the voice of Palestine is echoing throughout the world today,” Zafar told the gathering.

Dr. Mehmood Yousuf Al Shobki, identified by JI as a religious scholar from Gaza, also addressed the march and thanked Karachi residents and JI for supporting Palestinians.

JI said it would hold solidarity activities for Gaza through Oct. 7 before announcing the next phase of a separate domestic campaign against Pakistan’s fuel prices and inflation.

The party has held protests and sit-ins across Pakistan in recent months demanding the abolition of the petroleum levy and briefly launched a long march toward Islamabad in September before suspending it pending talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

It warned last week that it could resume the march if the levy was not abolished.