Syd protest calls for Egypt to help Gaza

A group of about 100 protesters have rallied outside the Egyptian consulate in Sydney to call for the defence of Gaza and the destruction of Israel.

The group including men, women and children gathered on Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, on Saturday afternoon, waving placards calling for Muslims to support Gaza.

Uthman Badair, a spokesman for rally organiser Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia, said armies in the region should stand up for Gaza.

"The reason we're in front of the Egyptian consulate is symbolic of the Arab and Muslim regimes," he said on Saturday.

"We do expect something from Muslim nations. They should mobilise and defend the people of Gaza. We want people in Gaza to be defended."

Another protest of about 400 people rallying for Gaza later marched through George Street in the Sydney city centre.

The Israeli military and Hamas have agreed to a 12-hour ceasefire to the conflict, which began on July 8 when Israel launched an operation to stamp out rocket fire from Gaza and destroy Hamas tunnels.

More than 800 people, most of them civilians, have been killed.