BARCELONA: Tens of thousands of people are marching in Barcelona as Spain, Italy and Portugal gear up for mass demonstrations on Saturday to protest Israel's war in Gaza.

Protests in Spain's second-largest city as well as in Madrid were called for weeks ago, while calls for demonstrations in Rome and Lisbon followed widespread anger after the Israeli interception of a humanitarian aid flotilla that had set sail from Barcelona, trying to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory.

Over 40 Spaniards, including a former Barcelona mayor, are among the 450 activists that Israel removed from the flotilla's boats this week.

Italy already saw more than 2 million people rally on Friday across the country in a one-day general strike to support the residents of Gaza.

Spain has seen an upsur

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