Schlein at the Gaza rally: "Hands off the right to strike."

Elly Schlein and the Democrats behind a banner reading "Stop the Massacre." Nicola Fratoianni marched through the length of the march to Gaza, shaking hands with protesters. "This is a beautiful day of massively participated mobilization, which shows that Italy today is better than those who govern it," said the Democratic Party secretary upon arriving in Piazza Vittorio in Rome , the rallying point for the demonstration organized by the CGIL.

"It's a strike for Gaza, for a free Palestine, and to put an end to Netanyahu's crimes in Gaza and the West Bank, to finally achieve recognition of a Palestinian state," Schlein explains while walking a stretch with the Young Democrats. And to the government, he says: "Hands off the right to strike. Yesterday's attack by Prime Minister Meloni, as well as the threats of conscription, is very serious. We stand with the workers." He then emphasizes that today's "is a significant wave of participation; we, as the Democratic Party, are here in solidarity with what happened to the Flotilla activists, stopped by Israel in an act of piracy in the middle of international waters. This is unacceptable; we haven't heard a word of criticism from our government regarding what happened." Schlein concludes by reiterating that the detentions "of the activists are illegal, and we insist that they be released and promptly returned home."

Schlein, Fratoianni, and the other AVS leader, Angelo Bonelli , marched together for a while behind the Palestinian flag. "We are faced," Fratoianni said, "with an enormous disgrace, a disaster, a global horror in which all those who failed to do their duty—that is, to intervene—are complicit. And that's what these demonstrations, this huge, cross-party mobilization, are doing anyway. A mobilization that restores a modicum of honor to this country, honor that has instead been thrown into the mud by the indolence, complicity, and hypocrisy of our government." And Bonelli added: "This is a living Italy, one of indignation in the face of horror and death, not the Italy that Giorgia Meloni would like locked in front of the television listening to her propaganda."

Nicola Zingaretti , head of the Democratic Party delegation in Brussels, took part in the march alongside the Democratic Party secretary, along with MP Michela Di Biase : "In the square, in Rome, with the most humane Italy. With workers," the MEP said, "who are striking to defend peace and rights. Standing alongside the Palestinian people, against the crimes of the Netanyahu government that are undermining Israeli democracy itself."