Live updates: Israel-Hamas war continues as survivors recount the Gaza hospital blast
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People gather outside the Israeli consulate during a protest to show solidarity with Palestinians, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. A massive blast rocked a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter Tuesday, killing hundreds of people, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military said the hospital was hit by a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
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A protester throws a stone towards Lebanese army soldiers during a demonstration, in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, near the U.S. embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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Demonstrators, calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, are detained by U.S. Capitol Police during a protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)
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Lebanese army soldiers scuffle with protesters during a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, near the U.S. embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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Protesters take cover from tear gas, fired by riot police during a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, near the U.S. embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. Hundreds of angry protesters are clashing with Lebanese security forces in the Lebanese suburb Aukar near the United States Embassy. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
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Hundreds of Moroccans take part in a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, following the bombing of AlAhli hospital, in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (AP Photo)
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People gather outside the Israeli consulate during a protest to show solidarity with Palestinians, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. A massive blast rocked a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter Tuesday, killing hundreds of people, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military said the hospital was hit by a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
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People gather outside the Israeli consulate during a protest to show solidarity with Palestinians, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. A massive blast rocked a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter Tuesday, killing hundreds of people, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military said the hospital was hit by a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
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A protester throws a stone towards Lebanese army soldiers during a demonstration, in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, near the U.S. embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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A protester throws a stone towards Lebanese army soldiers during a demonstration, in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, near the U.S. embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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Demonstrators, calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, are detained by U.S. Capitol Police during a protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)
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Demonstrators, calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, are detained by U.S. Capitol Police during a protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)
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Lebanese army soldiers scuffle with protesters during a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, near the U.S. embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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Lebanese army soldiers scuffle with protesters during a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, near the U.S. embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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Protesters take cover from tear gas, fired by riot police during a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, near the U.S. embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. Hundreds of angry protesters are clashing with Lebanese security forces in the Lebanese suburb Aukar near the United States Embassy. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
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Protesters take cover from tear gas, fired by riot police during a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, near the U.S. embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. Hundreds of angry protesters are clashing with Lebanese security forces in the Lebanese suburb Aukar near the United States Embassy. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
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Hundreds of Moroccans take part in a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, following the bombing of AlAhli hospital, in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (AP Photo)
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Hundreds of Moroccans take part in a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, following the bombing of AlAhli hospital, in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (AP Photo)
Thousands demonstrated outside the consulates of Israel and the United States in Istanbul late Wednesday. Many waved Palestinian flags, shouted anti-Israeli slogans and called for revenge against Israel a day after the deadly explosion at a hospital in Gaza.
Betul Balcik, a 22-year-old student, told The Associated Press that “humanity is dying” in Gaza and she and friends were there to denounce “war crimes commited by Israel”.
Large protests also erupted in Tunisia and Morocco, with demonstrators outraged by the blast at the hospital in Gaza.
Protesters gathered outside the Parliament in Rabat chanting “Down with America” and demanding that Morocco reverse its 2020 decision to normalize relations and deepen security ties with Israel.
In Tunis, protesters gathered outside the U.S. and French Embassies to condemn those nations’ support of Israel and demand that their ambassadors be removed from Tunisia.
The demonstrations were among the largest since the Arab Spring more than a decade ago, observers said.
There was also a march by an estimated 10,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Athens, Greece, that was quelled by riot police who fired tear gas. Earlier in the day about 100 people took part in a pro-Israeli gathering.
Demonstrators in Amman, Jordan; the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh in south Lebanon; and Tokyo directed some of their criticism at the U.S. and Biden for their support of Israel.
