Hundreds gather at Parliament Square vigil for Israeli victims of Hamas attacks with people draped in flags and holding 'bring them home' posters featuring faces of those who were abducted

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Hundreds of people have gathered at a vigil in central London to commemorate Israeli victims of the Hamas incursion into the country.

Many were draped in Israeli flags and posters saying ‘bring them home’ with names and faces of hostages captured by Hamas were being handed out to attendees.

A series of candles were lit around the square by those in attendance, who gathered to hear speeches and comfort one another, many openly in tears.

Organisers, who estimated 700 people were in attendance, had also covered the square in posters reading ‘kidnapped’ alongside photos of those taken to Gaza by Hamas militants. 

More than a dozen police officers could be seen patrolling the event in Parliament Square, Westminster. Before the vigil began, there were chants of ‘Free Palestine’ from passers-by, but as speeches started the scene quietened.

Those in attendance sang songs and held solemn moments of silence, before organisers asked people not to leave the site on their own for their own safety.  

An Israeli flag at a vigil at Parliament Square in London, for victims and hostages of the Hamas attacks

An Israeli flag at a vigil at Parliament Square in London, for victims and hostages of the Hamas attacks

A woman lights a candle a vigil at Parliament Square in London on Sunday

A woman lights a candle a vigil at Parliament Square in London on Sunday

More than 1,300 people in Israel were killed when Hamas militants launched a surprise assault from Gaza into the south of the country. 

Gunmen travelled via land and air, paragliding into Israel and attacking a music festival, gunning down more than 260 people.

Elsewhere, Hamas militants killed entire villages and burned families in their own homes. Children and even babies were found shot in cold blood and even beheaded, officials have said. 

In response Israel besieged the Gaza Strip, which is home to more than two million people, closing border crossings and cutting off all access to electricity, food and urgent aid supplies.

It has launched a campaign of airstrikes upon Gaza ahead of an expected ground operation aimed at ‘destroying’ Hamas, which is widely recognised as a terror group.

The strikes have so far killed more then 2,300 Palestinians. 

It follows a day of nationwide protests in the UK on Saturday which saw thousands take to the streets in support of Palestinians. 

Another march is taking place by pro-Palestinian demonstrators in the centre of Birmingham.

A total of 23 people were arrested in London on Saturday after a small minority of protesters clashed with police. 

Hundreds of people gathered in Parliament Square to pay their respects to those killed in the conflict

Hundreds of people gathered in Parliament Square to pay their respects to those killed in the conflict

Shani, 31, held back tears as she described how incidents at yesterday's pro-Palestine protests made the Jewish community 'scared to be Jews in the UK'

Shani, 31, held back tears as she described how incidents at yesterday’s pro-Palestine protests made the Jewish community ‘scared to be Jews in the UK’

The crowd cheered loudly as speakers said: 'Join us to protest the BBC who refuse to call Hamas terrorists'

The crowd cheered loudly as speakers said: ‘Join us to protest the BBC who refuse to call Hamas terrorists’

Attending today’s vigil in Parliament Square British-Israeli Shani, 31, held back tears as she spoke. 

She splits her time between Israel and London, but said she was disappointed by the turnout for the vigil.

‘I think more people should have been here, I’m really upset. It’s difficult to understand what side the UK is on. Everyone’s divided everywhere. The important thing here is we want our hostages back.’

She described some of the incidents at yesterday’s protests, such as a viral video which saw a woman in Glasgow shout ‘remember where the Jews were in 1940’ as ‘in really bad taste.’

She added: ‘It made a lot of Jews scared to be Jews in the UK. I’m Israeli through and through. I will never be scared to be Israeli.’

Orit Eyal Fabeesh told MailOnline Israel has ‘never been so heartbroken’: ‘Every single person in Israel knows someone who has been kidnapped, injured or murdered. We have never been so heartbroken.

‘Family members are now being recruited to serve. The purpose of gathering today is not to discuss politics. 

‘There are three things: Hamas is a terrorist organisation, Israel has the right to defend itself, and the torture of civilians can never be justified.

‘Now more than ever it is important to show support for Israel in the UK’.

Many of the speakers called for a humanitarian corridor to be opened into Gaza for the sake of innocent civilians, who have no way to flee the area

Many of the speakers called for a humanitarian corridor to be opened into Gaza for the sake of innocent civilians, who have no way to flee the area

People light candles at Parliament Square while attending a vigil for those killed in the Israel-Gaza conflict

People light candles at Parliament Square while attending a vigil for those killed in the Israel-Gaza conflict

Police officers were quick to surround three pro-Palestine protesters who attempted to disrupt the Israeli vigil

Police officers were quick to surround three pro-Palestine protesters who attempted to disrupt the Israeli vigil

‘Antisemitism will not win and history will not repeat itself. The loss of lives must stop.’

Her parents Joseph Eyal, 82, and Batia Eyal, 80, were in London visiting her when the conflict broke out, with their flight back to Tel Aviv being cancelled.

They said: ‘We are speechless… Hamas are pure savages. An animal attacks because they are starving, they kill because they like blood.

READ MORE HERE:  Israel-Palestine war LIVE: Hundreds mourn death of Hamas victims at Parliament Square while tributes flood in for hero British-Israeli man who tried to save wounded civilians

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‘We grew with Israel, we’ve been there 70/75 years. Everything that we have in our country, we built it. We want to live in peace, Palestinians are also entitled to live in peace, but their leaders (are crazy).’

The crowd cheered loudly as speakers said: ‘Join us to protest the BBC who refuse to call Hamas terrorists. Stand up to the BBC for its incomprehensible decision and strive to understand the motivation behind such choices.’

As the speeches drew to a close, the peaceful event was briefly disrupted by three pro-Palestine protesters, who joined the crowd and began shouting: ‘Free Palestine’.

Police officers were quick to intervene and surrounded them, before arresting one of the individuals.

Organisers told those attending the event: ‘As a security measure, please leave the vigil in groups and not by yourself… stay safe.’

Neta Fabeesh, 23, said the BBC’s decision not to call Hamas terrorists is ‘absurd’. She continued: ‘Hamas does not believe in coexistence, it wants to see the annihilation of Israel, of the Jewish people.

‘They’ve committed worse crimes than ISIS. The refusal to call Hamas a terrorist organisation is damaging not only to Israelis but to Palestinians. 

‘Hamas block exits for the Gaza’s people to move south, Israelis release before they bomb public areas. Hamas hide in hospitals, they use people as human shields.’

Dana, 33, was born in Israel and served in the army for two years. She told MailOnline: ‘My heart is with Israel, my whole family are here.

‘The BBC is wrong for not naming Hamas a terrorist organisation. I understand they are trying to maintain their journalistic obligation (for balance) but they are wrong – when the UK government has called them terrorists, the US President.

‘I came to show my support to my people in these really dreadful times.’

One man, who declined to give his name but claimed to be from Stuttgart in Germany, said he had decided to turn out to show his solidarity for the Jewish people as a German.

Organisers told those attending the event: 'As a security measure, please leave the vigil in groups and not by yourself... stay safe'

Organisers told those attending the event: ‘As a security measure, please leave the vigil in groups and not by yourself… stay safe’

One attendee, who declined to give his name, but said he was from Stuttgart , said he wanted to show his solidarity to the Jewish people as a German

One attendee, who declined to give his name, but said he was from Stuttgart , said he wanted to show his solidarity to the Jewish people as a German

The 62-year-old said: ‘I wanted to show my feelings and my solidarity with the Jewish people. I am not Jewish myself, I am actually German, so I thought it was a special gesture.

‘I have spoken to a number of people and I am shocked at the anti-Semitism that is here in London.

‘Yesterday I went to check out the March for Palestine and I asked a person whether they would be okay to have a photo taken next to a picture of a hostage. Then the person looked at me and ripped off the poster of the hostages and threw it on the floor.

READ MORE HERE:  Hunt for the pro-Hamas protesters: Suella Braverman warns ‘the police are coming’ as she vows crackdown on anyone ‘mocking murder of Jews’  

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‘I did not take part in the Palestine March because I think it is not appropriate a couple of days after atrocities to organise a March because the march doesn’t distance itself from Hamas. A couple of people I spoke to see Hamas as a freedom organisation, not a terrorist organisation. So I did not take part in this march.

‘I think the majority of people in the UK and in Europe share my view, of two independent free states. But I think Hamas has possibly now destroyed the dream of a free Palestine.’

He added that he felt the results of the last election in Palestine, which was held in 2006 and saw Hamas get 44 per cent of the vote, were ‘shocking’ as people had ‘voted for a terrorist organisation’.

He said: ‘That reminds me of Germany in the 30s where 33 per cent of the population voted for the Nazi Party, also no excuse for that. It’s is a similar thing. People are on the wrong path, that is no excuse for voting for terrorism.

‘Everybody with a heart, a human being, should support people who suffered horrific atrocities. A special moment as a German to attend such a gathering and such a vigil.

‘At the pro-Palestine protest ‘I asked three people ‘how would you get rid of Hamas?’ I didn’t get an answer.’

Saskia, who said she has friends close to the frontline in Israel, said there was ‘too much anti-Semitism coming out of this’. 

The 23-year-old said: ‘We can’t put up flags in our houses because it’s a target, it’s unfair.

‘If someone puts a Palestinian flag in their homes that’s accepted. No one’s going to break into their house. If someone puts an Israeli flag in their window, it makes that house a target. 

‘It’s disproportionate, we’re all just people, we’re humans, and we should be treated like humans, no matter what you’re religion, ethnicity or nationality is.’

Einat Sohar, an Israeli living in London, attended the vigil this afternoon with her young daughter

Einat Sohar, an Israeli living in London, attended the vigil this afternoon with her young daughter

A woman with an Israel flag wrapped around her shoulders stands next to the statue of Mahatma Ghandi in Parliament Square, which has been defaced with the words 'Free Palestine, Free Kashmir, Azaadi'

A woman with an Israel flag wrapped around her shoulders stands next to the statue of Mahatma Ghandi in Parliament Square, which has been defaced with the words ‘Free Palestine, Free Kashmir, Azaadi’

Holocaust survivors Joseph Eyal and Batia Eyal said Hamas were 'pure savages' after the attacks

Holocaust survivors Joseph Eyal and Batia Eyal said Hamas were ‘pure savages’ after the attacks

A woman looks at posters put up detailing Israelis who have been kidnapped by Hamas during the conflict

A woman looks at posters put up detailing Israelis who have been kidnapped by Hamas during the conflict

British-Israelis and supporters gather for the vigil in Parliament Square for the people kidnapped and killed by Hamas

British-Israelis and supporters gather for the vigil in Parliament Square for the people kidnapped and killed by Hamas

Einat Sohar, who attended the vigil, with her young daughter, said the fighting was the ‘worst it’s very been’ between Israel and Palestine.

She told MailOnline: ‘It was a shock to everyone, I am here as a show of solidarity with the people of Israel who are going through atrocities that Israel was supposed to protect them from, that’s why we have the state of Israel.

‘Most of the people who were murdered are left wingers, peace activists. This is horrific, the kidnapped are people who were supporting the Palestinians.

‘This has nothing to do with Palestinians, Hamas is a murderous organisation that just wants to murder Jews and use Palestinians as a shield. I don’t know how it’s going to be solved, the sense in Israel is there’s no security, no safety.’

READ MORE HERE:  Lone man with Israeli flag who was chased by pro-Palestinian protesters says he was attacked three times at the London rally

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She said she feels let down by the Israeli government ‘I support democracy and I don’t think the Israeli government is what the Israeli people deserve… I don’t know what they’re doing, they don’t know what they’re doing.’

Noam Saki’s mother was abducted by Hamas during the early morning raids last week. Speaking at the vigil, his Rabbi Jeremy Gordon called for the release of all hostages.

Rabbi Gordon said: ‘Noam would like us to know about his mother, Ada. teacher well into her 70s, who now in the year of her husbands passing is in need of ongoing medical support.

‘Taken from Nir Oz by Hamas terrorists.

‘He wants the hostages to be released, in particular the children, those under 18 and over 65. How can anyone take such people from their homes?

‘An affront to anything that is human, to take such people and hide such people. It is a matter of saving life, a moral claim that both Jews and Muslims share, that to save one life is to save the whole world.’

He added that an authoritarian corridor needed to be opened into Gaza to ‘assess their most basic human needs’. 

‘To the government: there are 17 Brit murdered or missing assumed kidnapped,’ he said.

‘We all need the govt to do anything that they can to get these people back, to show leadership internationally to secure the return of hostages especially women and children

‘Noam carries no hate for the people of Gaza, he is most concerned about the return of his mother.’




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