STORY: Tens of thousands joined a pro-Palestinian rally in Sydney on Sunday (October 12), organizers said, one of dozens of demonstrations across Australia, with some protesters expressing skepticism a ceasefire in Israel's two-year-old assault in Gaza would hold.

The organizer, the Palestine Action Group, estimated a crowd of 30,000 in Sydney, the nation's most populous city, one of about 27 nationwide. Police did not have a crowd estimate for the protest.

The Gaza ceasefire appeared to be holding early on Sunday and Israeli troops had pulled back under the first phase of a U.S.-brokered agreement to end the war, which has killed tens of thousands and left much of the narrow enclave in ruins.

Protesters, many carrying Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyeh scarves, marched on closed city streets. Police said no arrests were made.

Protester Abbi Jordan said she was at the rally because "this so-called ceasefire will not hold."

"Israel always breaks every ceasefire they've ever done. For 78 years, they've been conducting an illegal occupation in Palestinian territories, and we demand the Australian government sanction Israel," Jordan told Reuters.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (OCTOBER 12, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. PROTESTERS BANGING DRUMS AS THEY MARCH

2. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH BANNER AND CHANTING

3. PROTESTERS BANGING DRUMS

4. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH FLAGS AND PLACARDS

5. PERSON HOLDING PALESTINIAN FLAG

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTESTER, NUSRAT AHMAD, SAYING:

“So today we are also celebrating that there's been an end to the bombing in Gaza, so the people of Gaza get to have a bit of a brief respite, but we're also sending a message that the eyes of the world are still focused on Gaza. We still want to see sanctions imposed on Israel, and we still want to see the Palestinian people be in charge of their own destiny and not have another form of colonisation imposed upon them.”

7. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WITH FLAGS AND SIGNS MARCHING

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTESTER, ABBI JORDAN, SAYING:

“This so-called ceasefire will not hold. Israel always breaks every ceasefire they've ever done. For 78 years, they've been conducting an illegal occupation in Palestinian territories and we demand the Australian government sanction Israel.”

9. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING AND CHANTING

10. PERSON WITH DOG IN TROLLEY MARCHING IN PROTEST

11. PROTESTERS MARCHING

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTESTER, ALI HICHAMI, SAYING:

“I think people, they should stand up for justice, for what is right. You know, because keeping quiet is this problem that evil thrives.”

13. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE HOLDING FLAGS AND PLACARDS AT RALLY

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTEST CO-ORGANISER, JOSH LEES, SAYING:

“Yeah absolutely, we know from the polling now that a majority of Australians support sanctions on Israel. That's one of the key things we've been demanding for over two years now and for many years before that, because that's a key thing that we can do in Australia to support the Palestinian cause and to try to weaken the genocidal regime that's massacred and massacred and massacred Palestinians for two years now.”

15. PEOPLE HOLDING PLACARDS LISTENING TO SPEECHES

16. PERSON SPEAKING AT RALLY

17. PERSON HOLDING SIGN OF AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER, ANTHONY ALBANESE, READING (English): "GUTLESS"

18. PROTEST SIGN