• Julian Assange joined tens of thousands of protesters on Sydney Harbour Bridge.
• The protest aimed to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and call for an end to the conflict.
• Australia has expressed consideration for recognizing a Palestinian state.
• Participants faced adverse weather, chanting slogans like "ceasefire now" and "free Palestine."
• International pressure is growing for diplomatic recognition of Palestine.

Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators, including WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on August 3, effectively closing this iconic landmark. Assange, who returned to Australia after his release from a high-security British prison, marched alongside family and former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr, yet he did not address the media or crowd during the event, according to The Jakarta Post, Channel News Asia, and India Times.

Protesters braved heavy winds and rain while carrying banners and chanting slogans such as "ceasefire now" and "free Palestine." New South Wales police had mobilized hundreds of personnel to manage the sizable gathering, which demonstrated powerful solidarity amid growing international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Recent weeks have seen countries like France, Britain, and Canada express intentions to diplomatically recognize a Palestinian state, which adds weight to the demonstrations, according to The Jakarta Post, Channel News Asia, and India Times.

The Australian government has called for an end to the ongoing war in Gaza but has yet to formally recognize a Palestinian state. However, in a joint statement with over a dozen other nations, Australia expressed its "willingness or positive consideration" to recognize Palestine as a crucial step towards achieving a two-state solution. As international humanitarian concerns exacerbate, voices like those of New South Wales senator Mehreen Faruqi have echoed the urgency for governmental changes, demanding "the harshest sanctions on Israel," according to The Jakarta Post, Channel News Asia, and India Times.