Oslo, Norway – Oslo’s city hall on Wednesday raised the Palestinian flag in a show of solidarity with the people of Gaza, where thousands have lost their lives as Israel bombarded the area in retaliation for the October 7 attack by Hamas.
The initiative coincides with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, celebrated since 1978 following the adoption of a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly.
“When we know that more than 5,000 children have lost their lives, equivalent to more than 275 school classes, it is only natural to remember them today” Oslo mayor Anne Lindboe told AFP on the sidelines of the event, which brought together a handful of pro-Palestinian activists.
“It is very important to highlight that Oslo should be a city for everyone, where both our small Jewish minority and those with a Palestinian background should feel safe, seen and included,” she added.
On Saturday, the municipality also organized a commemoration in honor of the Israeli victims of the October 7 attack.
That day, Hamas broke through Gaza’s militarized border in an attack that Israeli officials said killed about 1,200 people, with around 240 hostages taken.
Israel’s retaliatory strikes alongside a ground offensive have killed about 15,000 people, according to the Hamas government in Gaza.
Queried by AFP, the Israeli embassy in Norway said it had “no issue” with this gesture of solidarity towards the Palestinians.