Johannesburg - Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the Israeli Embassy Trade Office in Sandton on Friday.
There were traffic jams as protesters waved pro-Palestine flags and banners against Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
They carried banners with slogans such as “Hoot for freedom”, “Free Palestine - stop the genocide” and “I see humans but no humanity”, while shouting: “Hey, hey Israel, how many kids have you killed today?”.
Metro police blocked off roads around the protesters.
Anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada and Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi joined the protest, which was aimed at putting pressure on the government to boycott Israeli products.
In Cape Town on Wednesday, a pro-Palestine march organised by the Muslim Judicial Council handed over a memorandum to Siphosezwe Masango, chairman of Parliament's international relations portfolio committee.
The protesters wanted to air their views about the Israeli military action.
Since Israel's 10-day campaign to halt Hamas rocket fire on its cities, more than 260 Palestinians have been killed and more than 2,000 wounded, news agency The Associated Press reported, quoting Palestinian health officials.
In Israel, a civilian had died and several had been wounded, it reported.
Earlier in the week it was reported that Gaza officials said 560 homes had been destroyed, and thousands of buildings damaged after a week of fighting and air strikes.
The latest surge in violence was sparked by the kidnapping and murders of three Israeli teenagers and the revenge killing of a Palestinian youth.
Sapa