Massive turnout for Gaza expected despite bridge ban

A groundswell for nationwide protests from Cairns to Geraldton is building, with hundreds of thousands of people to urge the government to sanction Israel over its military assault in Gaza.

The push comes after a magistrates court in Brisbane vetoed plans by organisers to march across the city's Story Bridge, replicating the historic turnout on the Sydney Harbour Bridge in early August.

Viral footage of protesters including many children and the elderly braving the rain in Sydney went global, with estimations of the size of the crowd ranging from 100,000 to 300,000 people.

Queensland Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Rhys Wildman welcomed Friday's decision but lamented how the dragged-out legal process disrupted the force's operations on short notice.

"It is disappointing that it has had to take mediation and two court hearings to land on a position that could've been resolved two weeks ago," he told reporters on Saturday.

"The issues we've had with Justice for Palestine organisers have nothing to do with their cause. It is purely to do with the route of the protest."

Organiser Remah Naji said on Saturday a rally was still going ahead starting at Queens Gardens in Brisbane's city centre and following an agreed upon alternative march route on the Victoria Bridge to Musgrave Park.

Up to 37 towns and cities are participating in the Nationwide March for Palestine that organisers say is a crucial means to exert political pressure on the Albanese government to stop two-way arms trade with Israel.

The day of action is expected to be the largest pro-Palestine demonstration in Australia's history.

Some of the speakers slated to address the crowd scheduled to gather in Sydney include high-profile feminist activist Grace Tame and journalist Antoinette Lattouf.

Both have been outspoken about the atrocities in Gaza, where more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed including some 18,000 children according to the United Nations.

A UN-backed body declared a full fleged famine for the first time in Gaza's history on Friday warning more than half a million are facing catastrophic levels of imposed starvation.

The determination comes after months of warnings by aid groups that Israel's impeding of food and other aid into the blockaded enclave was causing starvation.

Israel rejected the report with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it an "outright lie", as it pushes on with a renewed ground invasion expected to forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of civilians.