Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators move through downtown Toronto streets

Thousands of people marched through the streets of downtown Toronto Saturday afternoon for a pro-Palestinian demonstration. It was organized by a group called Toronto for Palestine and began at Nathan Phillips Square. Among the attendees were part of a vehicle rally that departed from Scarborough Town Centre at around 12:45 p.m. The rally moved west along Highway 401 before turning south on the Don Valley Parkway and arriving at the square, joining others in calling for an end to the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip. "This is a humanitarian crisis. We are asking for a ceasefire now. We are demanding a ceasefire now," said Mona Ayesh, who has family living in Gaza. The rally was held as Israel opened a “second stage” in the war against Hamas -- which has entered its third week -- sending ground forces into Gaza and expanding attacks from the ground, air and sea. Thousands have been killed since the war broke out on Oct. 7 when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. "We're coming