The demonstrators waved Lebanese and Palestinian flags and carried banners with the logo "no war" and pictures of those injured in the Israeli military actions.

They also read a statement, condemning the "overwhelming position, the chorus (of voices) against Israel's illegal actions, its criminal policies and the destruction of the lives and livelihoods of the Palestinian and Lebanese people."

A Lebanese official said around 750 people have been dead there since July 12, when Israel started a campaign of airstrikes after the Lebanon-based guerilla group, Hezbollah, kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others.

The Madrid protest was organized by 17 political associations, including the Arab Cause Solidarity Committee, the United Left, the Spanish Communist Party, Doctors of the World, the Republicans Citizens Platform and the State Communist Organizations Committee.

In addition, Diego Lopez Garrido, spokesman for the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), said Israel's legitimate right to self-defense did not justify the killing of innocent civilians in a "brutal, indiscriminate and disproportionate bombardment."

Gaspar Llamazares, leader of the United Left coalition, called on Spain, the United Nations and the European Union to impose sanctions on Israel instead of verbal rebukes.

Israeli armed forces killed 57 Lebanese citizens, including 37 children, on Sunday alone in the Lebanese village of Qana, while Hezbollah have killed around 50 Israelis in total since the war began 19 days ago.

The opposition People's party also condemned the Qana attack and called for the deployment of an international force in the area.