HUNDREDS of thousands of South African demonstrators marched through Cape Town on Saturday to protest against Israel’s military assault on Palestinians in Gaza.

Organisers said it was one of the biggest rallies in the city since the end of apartheid.

Demonstrators carried posters stating “Israel is an apartheid state” and “Stop Israeli murder.”

“We estimate there are well over 30,000 people and the figure could be as high as 50,000,” said Cape Town’s executive director for safety and security Richard Bosman.

But organisers pointed to the overwhelming footage of the event and said that the number was as high as 200,000.

Chanting “Free Palestine” — with some demonstrators wearing T-shirts reading “Africa understands colonialism” — the protesters marched through the centre of the city to the national parliament.

The march was called by the National Coalition for Palestine, which groups more than 30 religious and civil society organisations, trade unions and political parties.

And the South Africans were not alone. Across the world, countless thousands more people demonstrated against Israeli brutality in places as far afield as Yemen, Iceland, the US, Chile, Argentina, Australia, Germany and Malaysia.

Yet more marched through central Paris in defiance of a ban imposed by French authorities.

Members of Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind organised a protest in the centre of Bangalore, India.

Even in Israel itself around 500 anti-war activists flooded Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square with disregard for a ban which was put in place ostensibly to stop large gatherings during a time when missiles are being fired.

The major left-wing parties, including Meretz, had been slated to join the demonstration but pulled out after police banned the public display of anger over the Gaza war.

Protesters chanted slogans such as “Funds to welfare not to war,” “Build more classrooms not more bombs” and “In Gaza and Sderot children want to live.”

And in the heart of Israel’s major ally the US, people marched in cities across the nation, with about 500 demonstrators in New York turning out to protest.

They met near Columbus Circle and marched to the United Nations headquarters, chanting: “Free, free Palestine. Occupation is a crime.”