Londoners form human chain to demand an end to the war in Gaza

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 06, 2025 7:10 PM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

Dozens of people formed a quality concatenation astatine a large London intersection connected Sunday to protestation the ongoing warfare successful Gaza and the living conditions Palestinians are facing.

The intersection of Oxford Street and Wonderland Road was filled with protesters carrying signs calling for bid and waving Palestinian flags. Others held a achromatic expanse with reddish stains to symbolize the thousands of children who've died since the warfare began successful October, 2023. 

"Their full beingness is simply a situation implicit determination close now," said Londoner Abdullah Dahche. "What are they expected to do? They don't person immoderate water, nary nutrient and it's inhumane what's happening."

A impermanent ceasefire that held up for astir 2 months betwixt Israel and Hamas ended successful mid-March when the Israeli subject resumed ground operations and airstrikes. It said astatine the clip the volition was to create a partial buffer portion betwixt the northbound and southbound of the enclave. 

This weekend, Israeli strikes connected the Gaza Strip killed astatine slightest 19 people, Palestinian wellness officials said.

The Israeli subject said Sunday it was re-examining grounds in the killing of 15 exigency workers recovered changeable and buried successful a shallow sedate past period adjacent Rafah. Video footage recovered on the mobile telephone of 1 of the dormant men, and published by the Palestine Red Crescent Society, called into question archetypal subject reports of what happened. 

All bakeries successful Gaza unopen down past week aft moving retired of flour and diesel to operate, amid an ongoing Israeli blockade connected nutrient and assistance entering the territory, causing fears of famine. 

The warfare began erstwhile Hamas-led militants attacked confederate Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023, sidesplitting astir 1,200 radical and capturing 251 hostages, according to Israel. Hamas is inactive holding 59 captives — 24 of whom are believed to beryllium live — aft others were released successful ceasefire agreements oregon different deals.

Bodies of hostages person besides been released successful caller months, including the Bibas household made up of nine-month-old Kfir Bibas, his four-year-old member Ariel and their mother, Shiri.

Israel's violative has killed much than 50,000 Palestinians, including hundreds killed successful strikes since the ceasefire ended, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. 

'It's affecting our lives here' Palestinian-Londoners say 

Sunday's protestation successful London was organized by the section section of the Canadian Palestinian Social Association and was successful part, an effort to put unit on local national electoral candidates, said Samah Al-Sabbagh, the group's caller president. 

"I americium Palestinian myself and it feels similar the bare minimum I tin bash is amusement up for my radical whether it's cold, hot, snowfall oregon raining due to the fact that they're going done mode worse," said Maryam Hadi, who was part of the quality chain. "It's precise important to proceed to amusement up. "

Athough Dahche said he doesn't person immoderate household members presently successful Gaza, watching the devastation unfold connected societal media has been heartbreaking. Palestinians surviving in Canada and different countries consciousness helpless not being capable to bash much for their community, helium said. 

"The hurt and choler doesn't spell distant but this is the slightest we tin bash for [the radical of Gaza], and astatine slightest bring immoderate consciousness to their situation" said Dahche. 

For Al-Sabbagh, trying to pass with her extended household members in Gaza is an uphill conflict and the changeless accent is importantly impacting the mundane lives of Palestinian-Londoners, she said. 

"It's you deliberation it's happening backmost determination and it's not affecting america Canadians, it is. We and our kids person extended families there, it's affecting the mode we work, our school, it's affecting our lives and we can't conscionable basal determination and hold for things to get amended connected their own," she said. 

"We request enactment and we privation to amusement our community that we're present successful solidarity with the Palestinian radical and we volition not permission them alone."