There were some tense moments at Queen’s Park on Sunday as crowds of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel supporters gathered for opposing rallies in Toronto to express their anger over the growing conflict in Gaza.

Hundreds of demonstrators carrying Israeli flags and placards gathered on the front lawn of the legislature Sunday afternoon to take part in a rally dubbed “Canadians for Israel.”

Eton Ziner, a participant at the event, said the gathering was a way for local Torontonians to show their support for Israel.

“The essence of this entire gathering, this assembly, is to stand in solidarity with Israel and to also try our best to foster the message of peace,” Ziner told CTV Toronto.

The blare of an air raid siren, similar to the kind used to warn Israeli civilians of an impending attack, rang through the grounds of Queen’s Park during the demonstration.

Rabbi Daniel Korobin, who recently returned from a visit to Israel, said the sirens where a stark reminder of the tense situation on the ground.

“You have to be in the midst of it. My heart was pounding like a machine when I was in the middle, when I heard that alarm go off and then you hear the boom. This is not just a light dynamite boom – this shakes buildings,” Korobin told CTV Toronto.

“I certainly didn’t understand it until I went there myself, you have to really see it to experience it,” he added.

While the rally at Queen’s Park remained peaceful, a few punches were thrown between protesters and a small group of anti-Israeli demonstrators who showed up at the event.

A group of men were seen pushing and shoving one another on the park grounds while another man was kicked in the face.

Police say two men involved in the incident were arrested on Sunday but there is no word yet on if any charges were laid.

Pro-Palestinian marchers held their own rally near Bloor Street on Sunday. The event, advertised as “Toronto Families Protest Gaza under Attack”, was held in protest of the escalation of violence in Gaza and the rising death toll of Palestinian children.

“This is not a war between armies. This is a war that is having a direct impact on children. Close to 200 children already have been killed in these past couple weeks, including four children playing on a beach,” said a woman taking part in Sunday’s march.

Participants gathered outside the Israeli Consulate and read out the names of Palestinian children killed during the conflict.

The on-going conflict is estimated to have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians and 43 Israelis.

While tensions remain high in the Middle East, protesters on both sides of the conflict hope a ceasefire can soon be reached.

With a report from CTV Toronto’s Scott Lightfoot