Hundreds gather outside Parliament at vigil for Israeli victims of Hamas attacks
15 October 2023, 16:04 | Updated: 15 October 2023, 21:06
Hundreds of people gathered on Sunday afternoon outside the Houses of Parliament for a vigil to remember the victims of Hamas' attacks in Israel last weekend.
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The assault by Hamas has killed around 1,400 Israelis, according to an estimate released on Sunday, with over hundred thought to have been taken hostage.
Israel has responded furiously by bombarding Gaza in a bid to wipe out Hamas, and around 2,450 Palestinians have been killed, according to their authorities.
Thousands more on both sides have been wounded.
Many people at the Parliament Square event in central London on Saturday draped themselves in Israeli flags.
Posters saying "bring them home" bore the names and faces of people taken hostage by Hamas. Some were handed out to attendees. The event ended later that evening without much incident.
Over ten police officers could be seen patrolling the event.
It comes after thousands of pro-Palestine supporters gathered to march through cities across the UK on Saturday, with some setting off flares and fireworks in central London.
Police made 15 arrests over the course of Saturday afternoon and evening.
Nine officers were treated for minor injuries after scuffles with protesters, as the event became rowdier towards the evening.
Rallies were also held in Manchester, Edinburgh and other parts of the UK, with huge crowds gathering to show their support for Palestine.
Israel has massed hundreds of thousands of ground troops near the border with Gaza, and has confirmed it is gearing up for an invasion.
Its government has told about a million people from the north of Gaza to move to the south to avoid the invading force, a move that has sparked outcry among many human rights groups.
The invasion is expected imminently, but it is unclear when exactly it will begin.
