Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched in central London on Saturday calling for an immediate cease-fire in the ongoing Israeli war on Palestinians.
It was the third consecutive weekend that the British capital had seen a large rally in support of Palestinians since the indiscriminate Israeli bombing of Gaza in response to Oct. 7 Hamas incursion.
The health ministry in Gaza said Israeli strikes had killed 7,703 people, mainly civilians, with more than 3,500 of them children. In comparison to 1,400 Israeli casualties.
Saturday's protest in London came as Israel's army intensified its assault on the war-torn Gaza Strip late Friday.
Many demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans including "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."
They also held signs that read "Free Palestine" and "Gaza, stop the massacre," while some protesters let off fireworks and red and green flares.
Dani Nadiri, 36, said U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's call for a "humanitarian pause" in the fighting to allow aid into Gaza and hostages to leave was not enough.
"A full cease-fire needs to happen," the TV producer told AFP, adding: "It's time now to do something rather than let it escalate any further."
Noori Butt, from Luton in southern England, said she just wanted the war "to end."
"It can't go on like this. The world is dying and I want lasting peace for everybody. That's the way it should be," the 38-year-old teacher told AFP.
About 100,000 people were expected to join the "March for Palestine," according to London's Metropolitan Police, which said it had deployed more than 1,000 officers to patrol the march.
The demonstrators gathered at Victoria Embankment at midday, before making their way to the British parliament in Westminster.
Nearly 100,000 people attended a similar march in London last Saturday. Thousands also rallied in the British capital on Oct. 14.
Other rallies took place Saturday in Manchester and Glasgow, Scotland.
The U.K. government's stance on refraining from calling for a cease-fire is in line with the position of the United States – both say Israel has the right to defend itself within international law.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Saturday that Hamas has given no indication it "desires or would abide by calls for a cease-fire."