Pro-Israel protest in London calls for return of hostages

A pro-Israel demonstration has been taking place as part of calls for the safe return of hostages from Gaza.

Protesters in London’s Trafalgar Square have held up photos of those missing, with their names being read out from the steps of the National Gallery.

Security in the square was high with a significant police presence, a BBC reporter at the scene said.

Many in the crowd chanted “bring them home” and clutching signs that say “release the hostages”.

It comes a day after pro-Palestine protests took place in cities across the UK.

The Israel flag has been visible across the event and a minute’s silence, as well a group prayer, was following speeches from MPs and leaders of the Jewish community.

Representatives from the Community Security Trust, a charity that works to protect the Jewish community, have also taken part in the protest.

The president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Marie van der Zyl, who has attended, said: “The world has got to see that these hostages were cruelly and barbarically taken, they have to be released.

“The world should put pressure on those who can have any influence to release these innocent hostages who have suffered unbearable trauma and torment, let the hostage comes home.”

Communities Secretary Michael Gove urged Israel to “stand strong”, adding “Britain stands with Israel”.

Addressing demonstrators, he said: “There are no words to describe the suffering of families who have seen their relatives butchered in front of them and relatives who live in hope that those who were living peacefully in their homes just two weeks ago and are now in a Hamas dungeon should be freed.”

Earlier, grieving families gathered in Trafalgar Square to highlight the children kidnapped by Hamas.

Organised by four London mothers, the flash installation featured a buggy to represent each of the children missing.

Hamas – a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK, US and European Union – launched a deadly attack against Israeli civilians on 7 October.

More than 1,400 people were killed when gunmen breached security at the Gaza barrier and raided communities in southern Israel, with survivors reporting widespread atrocities including torture and bodies being burnt. More than 200 people were taken to Gaza as hostages.

Officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza say more than 4,600 people have been killed over the last two weeks after Israel began retaliatory air strikes.

Protester Nivi, who joined those at the installation, said her children were at a summer camp in Israel with one of the boys who is believed to be one of the hostages.

She said: “They were showing pictures of the hostages and my eight-year-old said, ‘Mummy, this is Ohad. Ohad was with me at camp’.

“And he asked me, ‘Why is his picture there? And I had to tell him, ‘Well he’s one of the kids that the bad people took away’, it’s heartbreaking”.

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