Thousands gather for vigils and protests over conflict between Israel and Hamas

Thousands of people gathered in London on Monday for vigils and protests over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The Israeli embassy in west London was boarded up as hundreds took part in a pro-Palestine demonstration.

Fireworks were let off, flares were lit and chants of “Israel is a terrorist state”, “Free Palestine” and “Allahu akbar” rang out.

Meanwhile, around 2,000 people attended a Jewish community vigil in Westminster for Israel, arranged by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council.

It comes after Palestinian militant group Hamas sent fighters across the border to Israel and fired thousands of rockets in an unprecedented attack on Saturday.

At least 900 people have reportedly been killed in Israel and more than 600 have been killed in Gaza, with dozens more taken hostage by Hamas.

Groups including Stop the War and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign gathered at the embassy in Kensington, waving placards calling for Israel to “end the occupation”.

Wooden boards had been placed near the entrance to the embassy and the gate, while large groups of police officers watched on.

One man, visibly angry at the demonstration, argued with some people before officers escorted him away.

An officer was heard telling him the protest had been “peaceful”.

The road on High Street Kensington was blocked off shortly after crowds arrived.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign said in a statement: “The offensive launched from Gaza can only be understood in the context of Israel’s ongoing, decades long, military occupation and colonisation of Palestinian land and imposition of a system of oppression that meets the legal definition of apartheid.

“This is the context in which we need to understand the cycle of violence. If violence is to end, both that of the oppressor and the oppressed, then we must all take action to end the root cause – Israeli apartheid and oppression of Palestinians.”

In Westminster, speakers at the pro-Israel vigil included Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and the shadow foreign secretary David Lammy.

There were chants of “let our children go” by the crowd at the vigil, which event organisers estimated was around 1,500-2,000 strong.

Many of those attending held up photos of Noa Argamani, an Israeli woman who was kidnapped by Hamas militants.

Others waved the Israeli flag, as well as banners which stated: “I stand with Israel”.

Sir Ephraim told the vigil “no civilised person cannot be moved, cannot be deeply shocked by the scenes of brutal terrorist outrage in Israel”.

He added: “If Hamas would want peace with Israel, just lay down your arms. Just declare your interest to live alongside us in peace and in amity. All they want is war, because for Hamas the ultimate solution is not a two-state solution as far as the Jews in Israel are concerned, it’s a no-state solution because they want to drive us from our land and this is what they have proven over the past few days.”

Mr Tugendhat said: “I’m here because I spoke to the Prime Minister today and after his call with the Prime Minister of Israel, his commitment is only doubled. Because this country, the United Kingdom, has stood against evil before, we have stood against hatred before, we have stood against antisemitism before – we will always stand against hatred and evil and antisemitism.”

Mr Lammy, who travelled from the Labour Party conference in Liverpool for the vigil, added: “In this country, it doesn’t matter whether you are Conservative, it doesn’t matter whether you are Liberal Democrat, it doesn’t matter whether you are Labour, we stand with Israel.”