Protests across Middle East over Israeli air attacks on Gaza

Thousands of people across the Middle East protested yesterday against Israel's aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip, with some chanting "death to Israel" and others calling for the bombing of Tel Aviv.

In Cairo, several thousand protesters gathered outside Al-Azhar mosque after weekly Muslim prayers and chanted "we will go to Gaza in our millions", swearing to "sacrifice ourselves for you, Palestine".

"It's the least we can do," protester Ahmed Selim said. "We need to show Israel our anger."

In the central West Bank city of Ramallah, more than 1,000 protesters shouted slogans of support for Gaza's Hamas rulers and waved the Islamist movement's green flag.

"Hamas, bomb Tel Aviv!" they chanted, a day after a rocket from Gaza just missed the city.

In Lebanon, thousands turned out for demonstrations in Palestinian refugee camps in the north and south of the country in outrage at the assault, echoing the calls from Ramallah.