Updated

Several thousand university students are demonstrating in eastern Afghanistan to denounce Israel's recent offensive in Gaza, burning Israeli and U.S. flags, as well as a Christian cross.

The students in Monday's protest have also blocked a highway leading into Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, and denounced Pakistan for its recent border artillery shelling into Afghanistan.

Nangarhar University student Abdul Gayr says the protesters also voiced their opposition to the death sentence given to Afghan National Army soldier Abdul Sabor, who was convicted earlier this year for killing five French soldiers in January.

He says the protesters don't think the Afghan soldier should be executed when international forces are not punished when their military operations result in the death of Afghan civilians.