Workers across Italy downed their tools on Monday to take part in a strike called by grass-roots trade unions to protest at the situation in Gaza while thousands of people marched in demonstrations in several cities.
The general strike, which started at midnight and runs until 23:00 on Monday, is affecting many sectors, especially local public transport and railways, schools, public services and ports.
The USB union called for "the immediate break-off of relations with the terrorist state of Israel, which is the concrete way in which Italy can, and must, react to the genocide that is taking place".
There were queues at the ports of Genoa and Livorno as protestors restricted access to them.
Organizers of the Rome event said 100,000 people were at the demo near the central Termini train station, although an initial police estimate put the figure at around 20,000.
