Hundreds of people, including students in Indian-controlled Kashmir Friday staged noisy anti-Israel protests, condemning its attacks on Gaza that have left 100 people dead and several hundred wounded so far,
APAreports quoting Xinhua.
The protests broke out after Friday afternoon congregational prayers to condemn ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza.
Most of the protests took place in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Students at University of Kashmir suspended the class work and gathered in the campus to express solidarity with the Palestinians.
The students carrying banners and placards in support of Palestinians were shouting pro-Islamic and anti-Israel slogans.
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We are staging protests against Israeli aggression on Gaza and the killing of about 100 people there," said Aadil Sheikh, a university student. "We as Muslims feel duty bound to protest the killing of our brethren in Palestine."
The students were also carrying a banner with a photograph of Al-Aqsa Mosque or Bayt al-Muqaddas (the third holiest site in Islam).
They were shouting slogans "Down with Zionism," "Long live Hamas," "Stop the genocide in Gaza."
They also offered prayers in absentia for those killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza during the last four days.
The protest marches were also held in old city and Maisuma, where protesters burnt Israeli flags and shouted slogans in solidarity with Palestinians.
The hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani has condemned the Israeli attacks on Gaza and expressed sorrow over what he termed the "criminal silence" of the world community particularly the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC).
"The world is following dual standards on Muslims and the bloodshed of Muslims is not consi
dered as human rights violations, " he said, urging people to stage anti-Israel protests.
As the death toll in Gaza rises in wake of Israeli strikes, international pressure has built up on Tel Aviv to end its four- day conflict with Hamas and Palestinian militant groups.
According to Gaza health ministry spokesman, Israel's " Operation Protective Edge" on Friday brought the death toll to 100, besides wounding 675 others.
APA - Protests rock Indian-controlled Kashmir over Israeli attacks on Gaza