Thousands join pro-Palestine protest in southern Philippines

Agence France-Presse

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Thousands attend a pro-Palestine rally at the Cotabato City Plaza on October 16, 2023. Photo courtesy of Rhejam Omar, via Lerio Bompat.' src='https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/10/16/20231016-cotabato.jpg' ><figcaption>Thousands attend a pro-Palestine rally at the Cotabato City Plaza on October 16, 2023. <em>Photo courtesy of Rhejam Omar, via Lerio Bompat.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>COTABATO, Philippines-- Thousands of people gathered in the southern Philippines on Monday to protest Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip in response to deadly cross-border raids by Hamas militants.</p><p>Participants waved Palestinian flags, painted their cheeks with the Palestinian colors, and shed tears as they prayed.</p><p>Speakers at the protest called for a halt to the Israeli military operations and urged the United States and the United Nations to stay neutral in the conflict.</p><ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/10/16/23/israel-military-confirms-199-hostages-abducted-by-hamas'>Israel military confirms 199 hostages abducted by Hamas</a></li>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/10/16/23/foreign-nationals-in-desperate-wait-to-escape-war-torn-gaza'>Foreign nationals in desperate wait to escape war-torn Gaza</a></li></ul><p>The predominantly Catholic Philippines has a large Muslim minority based mainly in the southern region that endured decades of armed Islamic separatist insurgencies until a peace treaty was signed nine years ago.</p><p>The four-hour peaceful protest was held at a public park in Cotabato, a city with more than 200,000 Muslim residents.</p><p>Cotabato police put the number of protesters at about 25,000.</p><p>Placards read "Free Palestine!" and "Bangsamoro against injustices", referring to the Muslim self-ruled region on Mindanao.</p><p>Uniformed police and soldiers stayed discreetly nearby.</p><p>"The protest has just been concluded without incident," Cotabato police officer Marouf Guiali told AFP by telephone at sundown.</p><p>© Agence France-Presse</p><ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/16/23/families-of-slain-pinoys-in-israel-war-to-get-over-p200k-aid'>Families of slain Filipinos in Israel-Hamas war to get over P200,000 financial aid</a></li>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/16/23/mga-pilipino-sa-gaza-naghihintay-makatawid-sa-egypt'>Mga Pilipinong uuwi mula Gaza, naghihintay makatawid sa Egypt</a></li></ul><p><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></p><figure class='op-interactive'><iframe allow='autoplay; fullscreen' frameborder='0' height='100%' id='ivsplayer01' scrolling='no' src='https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&spid=3001339&vid=2844389' width='100%'></iframe></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more News on <a href='https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news' target='_blank'>iWantTFC</a></div>

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<p>Participants waved Palestinian flags, painted their cheeks with the Palestinian colors, and shed tears as they prayed.</p><p>Speakers at the protest called for a halt to the Israeli military operations and urged the United States and the United Nations to stay neutral in the conflict.</p>

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Thousands attend a pro-Palestine rally at the Cotabato City Plaza on October 16, 2023. Photo courtesy of Rhejam Omar, via Lerio Bompat.' src='https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/10/16/20231016-cotabato.jpg' ><figcaption>Thousands attend a pro-Palestine rally at the Cotabato City Plaza on October 16, 2023. <em>Photo courtesy of Rhejam Omar, via Lerio Bompat.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>COTABATO, Philippines-- Thousands of people gathered in the southern Philippines on Monday to protest Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip in response to deadly cross-border raids by Hamas militants.</p>

Participants waved Palestinian flags, painted their cheeks with the Palestinian colors, and shed tears as they prayed.

Thousands join pro-Palestine protest in southern Philippines | ABS-CBN News

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Thousands join pro-Palestine protest in southern Philippines

Thousands join pro-Palestine protest in southern Philippines