Bogotá protesters rally for Gaza truce

Thousands of protesters converged in Bogotá to demand an end to the war in Gaza, marking the second anniversary of the October 7 attack that precipitated Israel’s current campaign. Demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. Embassy and marched toward Bolívar Square carrying Palestinian flags, banners and placards; some burned representations of U.S. and Israeli flags and sprayed graffiti on walls. Cardboard cutouts of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were displayed with paint intended to resemble blood.

Speakers called for immediate international action to stop civilian deaths in Gaza and demanded that governments and embassies intervene to halt what they described as a genocide. Organizers said the timing aimed to pressure both domestic and international actors to back a humanitarian truce and to highlight demands for justice and accountability.

The rallies in Bogotá formed part of larger nationwide demonstrations in cities including Medellín, Cali and Barranquilla, where smaller marches and protests echoed calls to sever ties with Israel and to increase support for Palestinian civilians. Most gatherings were peaceful, but authorities reported arrests of a small number of participants who tried to breach police barricades or deface public infrastructure; diplomatic zones saw heightened security.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly endorsed protesters’ right to demonstrate, committing his government to protect diplomatic sites while expressing solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The Foreign Ministry also noted the release by Israeli authorities of two Colombian women who had been detained earlier after participating in the Global Sumud flotilla, an episode that had fueled domestic outrage ahead of the anniversary.

The demonstrations coincided with mediators shuttling to Cairo for indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel on a potential ceasefire, hostage releases and prisoner exchanges — talks that Hamas said it might accept under a plan proposed by President Trump, while still maintaining outstanding demands. Gaza health authorities report tens of thousands of deaths and widespread devastation since the October 7, 2023 attacks; Israel cites more than a thousand dead and hundreds taken hostage on that day. International solidarity marches took place in several regions simultaneously, reflecting continuing global protest activity and renewed debate over Colombia’s diplomatic posture and human rights commitments.