Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Jakarta – The Indonesian Labor Party and the Workers' Union Coalition are planning to stage a rally to protest the war and genocide in Palestine on Friday, June 18, 2025. Protesters will move from the United Nations' office, then proceed with a long march to the United States Embassy, and end at the Egyptian Embassy in Jakarta.
Labor Party president, Said Iqbal, announced the plan through a written press release on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
The statement claims that 60 national-level labor union confederations and federations – along with civil organizations from farmers, fishers, teachers, as well as people across all walks of life – will participate.
"Workers are not just here to work, workers are people. And war, like what is happening today, has stripped away our humanity," said Said.
The protesters will raise three demands during the upcoming rally. First, stop the war between Iran and Israel. Second, stop the genocide in Gaza and free Palestine. Third, urge the United Nations and the United States government to cease all wars in the world.
According to Said, workers are urging the Egyptian Embassy to call for the Egyptian president to open the Rafah border. That border can be a crucial route for the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza.
Israeli forces killed at least 70 Palestinians and injured hundreds more as they sought aid at a U.S.-backed distribution center in Gaza on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
Israeli troops fired at the desperate aid seekers on Tuesday morning as they gathered along the main east-west road in the southern city of Khan Younis. The attack was the latest in a wave of ongoing massacres since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by Israel and the United States, launched an operation to distribute food in the area three weeks ago.
The death toll is expected to rise as many of the wounded are in critical condition, according to medical personnel at Nasser Hospital, where the victims are being treated. Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmud Bassal added that more than 200 people were injured, although reports on the number of casualties vary.
"Israeli drones fired at the citizens. Some minutes later, Israeli tanks fired several shells at the citizens, which led to a large number of martyrs and wounded," the spokesperson said, as quoted from New Arab, noting that the crowd had gathered in the hope of receiving flour.
– Sita Planasari contributed to the writing of this article