Tens of thousands of people marched across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge on Sunday, braving heavy rain to demand increased Australian pressure on Israel to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. New South Wales Police put the crowd at up to 90,000, while organisers from the Palestine Action Group Sydney said as many as 300,000 took part. The bridge was closed to traffic for several hours as demonstrators, some banging pots and pans to symbolise hunger in the enclave, chanted support for Palestinians. The protest, dubbed the “March for Humanity,” went ahead after the Supreme Court of New South Wales ruled on Saturday that it could proceed, rejecting police concerns about safety and traffic disruption. Authorities deployed more than 1,000 officers but reported no injuries. Similar demonstrations were held in Melbourne. Participants included WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, recently freed after a U.S. plea deal, and New South Wales Education Minister Jihad Dib. Protesters urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government to take firmer action, including recognising a Palestinian state, a step already announced by France and Canada and under consideration in the United Kingdom. Nearly two years into the Gaza war, Palestinian officials say more than 60,000 people have been killed and international agencies warn of widespread starvation. Australia supports a two-state solution, yet Albanese has stopped short of formal recognition, saying Israel’s restrictions on aid and high civilian toll “cannot be defended or ignored.”