Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched across Sydney's Harbor Bridge on Sunday to protest the war in Gaza. 

New South Wales police and the state's premier last week tried to block the march from taking place on the bridge, a city landmark and transport thoroughfare, saying the route could cause safety hazards and transport disruption. The state's Supreme Court ruled on Saturday that it could go ahead.

Police said they were deploying hundreds of personnel and urged marchers to remain peaceful. Police were also present in Melbourne, where a similar protest march was taking place.

Some of those attending the march, called by its organizers the 'March for Humanity,' carried pots and pans as symbols of the hunger.

Marchers ranged from the elderly to families with young children. Among them was WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Many carried umbrellas. Some waved Palestinian flags and chanted "We are all Palestinians."

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar called the demonstrators radicals, arguing "The distorted alliance between the radical Left and fundamentalist Islam is sadly dragging the West toward the sidelines of history."

Diplomatic pressure ramped up on Israel in recent weeks. France and Canada have said they will recognize a Palestinian state, and Britain says it will follow suit unless Israel addresses the humanitarian crisis and reaches a ceasefire.

Australia's centre-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said he supports a two-state solution and Israel's denial of aid and killing of civilians "cannot be defended or ignored," but has not recognized a Palestinian state.