Students from the University of Melbourne, RMIT, Monash and Swinburne University gathered in front of the state library in the CBD and marched to the intersection of Swanston and Flinders streets, where they held a sit-in protest. Greens MP Gabrielle de Vietri was also in attendance.

Hundreds of protesters marched from Melbourne’s state library to Federation Square in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Credit: Gabrielle de Vietri’s/Instagram

In Sydney, hundreds more protesters gathered in front of the NSW Labor Party headquarters after protesting at the town hall.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has called the genocide allegations “false and outrageous”, and his government has repeatedly claimed it targets only the militant group Hamas and not civilians.

In Sydney, protesters assembled outside the NSW Labor Party office following their demonstration at the town hall. Credit: Studentsforpalestinesydneyuni Instagram

The organisers said the students marched to protest against the ongoing “starvation of Palestinians in Gaza”, calling for the Australian government to “sanction Israel” and universities to “cut ties” with weapons manufacturing companies. However, they did not specify any details about universities’ links with these companies.