Hundreds gather for a car rally in Kitchener in support of Gaza

As the Hamas-Israeli war rages on, at home, locals are gathering to show of solidarity and support for Palestinians following a deadly blast at a Gaza City hospital that killed hundreds of civilians.

On Wednesday, a Kitchener-Waterloo Car Rally for Gaza took place. It started at the Fairview Mall parking lot at 6 p.m. Organizers with the Palestinian Youth Movement said they’re hoping to continue to bring awareness to the ongoing conflict.

Dozens of cars, and hundreds of people showed up and took part. Community members then took to the streets and convoyed throughout the city, down King Street to Conestoga Mall.

"We always say the Palestinian cause is a human rights cause it’s one for any human being who has a moral conscious and who wants to support people who are going under just incredible amounts of oppression," organizer Shatha Mahmoud said. "So we hope that our entire community comes out, all shapes and sizes, all ethnicities, all religions and we can rally out and show we are united together."

Waterloo regional police was also on hand at the event to ensure safety.

This is not the first time the group has come together this way. In May of 2021, a similar protest saw hundreds of vehicles drive across the Waterloo Region to bring awareness to violence in Sheikh Jarrah.