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Thousands of Moroccans demonstrated on Sunday in the northern city of Tangier in support of the Palestinian people and against Morocco's ties with Israel, an AFP journalist saw.

"Gaza is not alone," chanted the protesters during the event which saw the grouping of leftist parties and Islamist movements.

The protesters took to the streets of the coastal city after reports last month of an Israeli ship's docking in Tangier port.

Coming from the United States, the ship made a pit stop in Tangier on 19 June, according to Israeli media.

Moroccan authorities have yet to confirm the reports.

On 24 June, the kingdom announced the sending of 40 tonnes of medical aid to the population of Gaza, ravaged by a devastating Israeli war, which began in October.

Israel's offensive has killed at least 38,153 people in Gaza, according to data from the Palestinian territory's health ministry.

A Hamas-led 7 October attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Captives were also taken, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 42 the military says are dead.

Sunday's protests also called on Morocco to end its ties with Israel.

The kingdom normalised relations with Israel in late 2020 under a deal that saw the United States recognise Morocco's claim to sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

Normalisation with Israel is highly controversial across the Arab world. Palestinians consider it a betrayal of their national cause.

Several demonstrations have taken place in Morocco since the Gaza war broke out in October.

Rabat has officially denounced what it said were "flagrant violations of the provisions of international law" by Israel in its war.

But it has not given any indication that normalisation with Israel would be undone.