STORY: Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved pouring rain to march across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday (August 3) calling for peace and aid deliveries in the war-torn Gaza Strip, where a humanitarian crisis has been worsening.

Nearly two years into a war that Palestinian authorities say has killed more than 60,000 people in Gaza, governments and humanitarian organisations say a shortage of food is leading to widespread starvation.

Some of those attending the march, called the 'March for Humanity', carried pots and pans as symbols of the hunger.

Marchers ranged from the elderly to families with young children. Among them was Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Many carried umbrellas. Some waved Palestinian flags and chanted "We are all Palestinians."

Diplomatic pressure ramped up on Israel in recent weeks. France and Canada have said they will recognise a Palestinian state, and Britain says it will follow suit unless Israel addresses the humanitarian crisis and reaches a ceasefire.

Israel has condemned these decisions as rewarding Hamas. Israel has also denied pursuing a policy of starvation and accused Hamas of stealing aid.

The Gaza war began when Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures.

Australia's centre-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said he supports a two-state solution and Israel's denial of aid and killing of civilians "cannot be defended or ignored", but has not recognised Palestine.

Therese Curtis, a marcher in her 80s, said she had the human right and privilege of good medical care in Australia.

"But the people in Palestine are having their hospitals bombed, they're being denied a basic right of medical care and I'm marching specifically for that," she said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (AUGUST 3, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. (MUTE) TIMELAPSE VIDEO OF PRO-PALESTINIANS MARCH ACROSS SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE, STARTING OFF

2. PEOPLE CHANTING AS THEY MARCH ACROSS THE SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

3. PEOPLE MARCHING ACROSS THE SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

4. AUSTRALIAN ACTIVIST WHO FOUNDED WIKILEAKS, JULIAN ASSANGE (WHITE HAIR, RED TIE), AT THE HEAD OF MARCH NEXT TO RETIRED SOCCEROOS PLAYER AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST, CRAIG FOSTER (BLUE JACKET)

5. PROTESTERS MARCHING

6. (UPSOUND) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER SAYING (English): “It's the most important thing in the world, it's for humanity." / SECOND UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER SAYING (English): "Palestine will be free!"

7. PROTESTERS MARCHING

8. PALESTINIAN FLAG WAVING

9. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING TOWARDS SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING:

“The greatest injustice in the world, babies are being killed. For what? Because they were inefficient, they couldn't protect their borders? That's why they're punishing the whole world now, especially the Palestinians. Go Palestinians, we are with you"

11. PEOPLE HOLDING PLACARDS READING (English): 'END THE GENOCIDE' AND 'STOP THE STARVATION'

12. PERSON HOLDING BANNER READING (English): 'JEWS SAY SANCTION ISRAEL NOW'

13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER SAYING:

"Absolutely, it's historic, absolutely historic."

14. PEOPLE MARCHING TOWARDS BRIDGE

15. PROTESTER BANGING ON POT

16. PERSON HOLDING A PLACARD WITH A PICTURE OF ISRAEL PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, READING (English): 'WAR CRIMINAL'

17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTESTER IN HER 80S, THERESE CURTIS, SAYING:

"I've had a lot of medical issues over the last couple of years, including mobility, and in Australia I've had the human right and the privilege to have good medical care. But the people in Palestine are having their hospitals bombed, they're being denied a basic right of medical care and I'm marching specifically for that."

18. PEOPLE HOLDING SIGNS

19. PERSON HOLDING PLACARD READING (English): 'HONGKONGERS FOR PALESTINE'

20. PEOPLE MARCHING

21. (MUTE) TIMELAPSE OF PROTESTERS MARCHING

22. VARIOUS OF RALLY BEFORE THE PRO-PALESTINIANS MARCH

23. VARIOUS OF ASSANGE SPEAKING TO PEOPLE

24. PROTESTERS / STAGE

25. VARIOUS OF ACTIVIST ON STAGE RALLYING PEOPLE

26. UMBRELLA WITH PRO-PALESTINIAN SLOGAN "FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA"

27. PROTESTERS CHANTING, BEATING DRUMS