Anti-Israel Activists Celebrate Ceasefire, Vow to Continue Struggle for Palestinian Liberation

Following the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, anti-Israel activists have vowed to intensify their efforts to end the Israeli state's existence. Various groups, including the People's Forum, Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), and affiliates of the Shut it Down For Palestine coalition, coordinated rallies in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. These protests, labeled under the slogan "Gaza will rise," are part of a broader campaign to continue advocating for Palestinian "liberation."

The activists were quick to declare that while the ceasefire is a momentary victory, the true battle for a "free Palestine" is ongoing. In their messages shared on social media, they emphasized that their resistance against "imperialism" and "Zionism" would persist. The slogan "Ceasefire today, liberation tomorrow" was widely used by protest organizers, rallying individuals to stand in solidarity with Gaza’s struggle for what they describe as full independence.

The protests, held in locations such as Trafalgar Square in London, the US State Department in Washington DC, and the Ottawa Human Rights Monument, were accompanied by calls to hold Israel accountable for alleged war crimes and a renewed push for divesting from Israeli companies. Activists rallied under the premise that this ceasefire is just the beginning of a much larger movement to dismantle the Israeli state and secure a fully liberated Palestine "from the river to the sea."

Notably, the National Students for Justice in Palestine and other student groups voiced their commitment to continuing campus activism, pushing for an arms embargo on Israel and the cessation of US aid to the Israeli government. Other groups, such as Within Our Lifetime, lauded the resilience of Gazans, framing the ceasefire as a victory for resistance and promising that the Palestinian struggle would only grow stronger in the coming months.

As rallies continued, leaders from Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network and Code Pink reiterated their demands for Palestinian prisoners’ release, the right of return for all Palestinians, and the removal of Israeli military forces from Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. These groups made clear that they saw the cessation of hostilities as a mere first step toward the ultimate goal of "liberation."