'Gaza isn't Gaza anymore': Palestinian addresses 19th solidarity rally in Cork

A Palestinian from Gaza addressed the weekly Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CPSC) march and rally in Cork city today.

The rally saw about 1000 people march through Cork city for Palestine for the 19th Saturday in a row, to show solidarity with the people of Palestine and call on world leaders to take action to end Israel’s attacks.

Speaking at the Cork rally, Ahmad Mahdi, who was born and raised in Gaza, said, “Gaza isn’t Gaza anymore and the city is unrecognisable, the streets, the houses, the whole infrastructure has been burned to a crisp.” 

He shared that figures by the UN estimate 65,000 residential units have been destroyed or rendered uninhabitable, and another 290,000 have been damaged, leaving half a million people with no home to return to.

Mahdi explained, “I myself have lost my family house, which wasn’t the greatest loss, I have lost my beloved cousins, which has shattered my heart into pieces, two brilliant gynaecologists and the entire family of one of them, a total of 12 in a single night.

“I've lost dear friends of mine, classmates and former co-workers, all have been killed, while 2 of my friends were detained while evacuating Alshifa hospital more than 80 days ago, and we still know nothing about them.

“If you're from Gaza, it's 100% guaranteed that you have lost someone.” 

The protest was one of numerous held across the country as part of a Global Day of Action for Gaza, with tens of thousands of people marching in Dublin and demonstrations for Palestine also taking place in Ennis, Armagh, Drogheda, Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Youghal, Carrick-on-Shannon and Waterford.

Kathy Glavanis, the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign co-chair, said, “Israel’s war against Gaza is unprecedented in the modern age.

“Equally, the continued mobilisation of the global movement against the war is also unprecedented.

“The people have clearly spoken, and now we need our government and all governments to dispense with diplomatic niceties and get this war stopped now."