New demonstration in London for a ceasefire in Gaza

Thousands of people marched once again Saturday à London to demand a permanent ceasefire à Gaza, for the 11th national demonstration in the British capital since October 7.

The attacks carried out against Israel that day left 1,160 dead, mainly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli figures. Israel's response left 32,705 dead in the Gaza Strip, according to Hamas.

“We call for a permanent ceasefire to stop what the highest court in the world has ruled to be a plausible genocide,” Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, one of the parade organizers, told Sky News.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN's highest judicial body, in January ordered Israel to do everything possible to prevent a “genocide” in the Palestinian territory. Accusations deemed “scandalous” by Israel.

Accusing the British government of “giving a green light” to Israel's actions, in particular by continuing to authorize arms exports , Ben Jamal considered “a fundamental change in the policy of the British government” necessary. “Until we get it, we will keep marching,” he warned.

New demonstration in London to demand a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, March 30, 2024 © AFP – BENJAMIN CREMEL

“It's important for Palestinians to know that people support them, that they are not alone,” Sally Worgan, a former social worker from 65, told AFP in the procession ans.

According to her, it is also necessary “for governments to listen”, which is what the British executive ended up doing, but “it took a lot of these demonstrations for people to realize.”

Westminster Police say law enforcement arrested a man suspected of inviting support for a banned organization.

A counter-demonstration was organized along the route of the procession, with Israeli flags and signs reading “Hamas is terrorist”.

The British government calls for “an immediate humanitarian pause” leading to “lasting peace”.

The majority of the 2.4 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip are threatened with famine, UN agencies have been alerting for weeks.

On Thursday, the ICJ ordered Israel to provide “urgent humanitarian aid” to Gaza in the face of “a famine setting in.”

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