London Sees Thousands Gather in Rain to Condemn Gaza Starvation
On a rainy Saturday in London, over 80,000 demonstrators gathered in a powerful expression of solidarity with the people of Gaza. The march — one of many that have continued across the UK since October 2023 — called for an end to Britain’s support for Israel’s military actions and urged immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the besieged territory.
Organised by the Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) alongside members of the Palestine Solidarity Coalition, the protest marked nearly two years of continued conflict, with speakers and attendees drawing attention to the worsening situation in Gaza, including hunger, displacement, and loss of life.
Protesters urge Britain to halt arms sales to Israel
Speaking from the stage in Whitehall, Dr Mohammad Mustafa — a Palestinian surgeon based in the UK who recently returned from Gaza — held up the blood-stained medical scrubs he had worn while treating patients under fire.
“These scrubs bear the blood of those I could not save — children, women, patients whose names I will never forget,” he told the crowd. “They can no longer speak. So I speak for them.”
Dr Mustafa also shared the personal pain of losing a family member who was fatally shot while queuing for food. He emphasised that the killing of civilians in search of basic necessities was not incidental but part of a broader, deeply troubling pattern.
Fares Amer, representing the Palestinian Forum in Britain, said the march was among the largest in recent memory and called on the UK government to review its policies:
“We urge the United Kingdom to do all it can to prevent further suffering, to halt arms sales, and to support an end to this devastating conflict.”
A diverse lineup of speakers included former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, MPs Richard Burgon and Zoe Garbutt, activist Leanne Mohamad, and representatives from various trade unions, cultural figures, and civil society groups — all echoing the same message: urgent action is needed.
Raghad Tikriti of the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) made a moving comparison between the situation in Gaza and the genocide in Srebrenica, which marked its 30th anniversary last week:
“The promise of ‘never again’ feels distant. Gaza today is enduring horrors that demand not just remembrance but accountability.”
Palestinian nurse and activist Ahmad Baker paid tribute to the medical workers who lost their lives in the conflict, describing them as “colleagues, heroes, and role models.”
“Their courage reminds us that even in the darkest moments, dignity and resistance endure. We owe it to them to seek justice.”
British-Palestinian activist Leanne Mohamad spoke passionately to the crowd:
“We are here to honour the lives lost and to stand with those who remain. But we are also here to demand that our leaders break their silence. Because silence, in the face of such suffering, is no longer an option.”
The protest also voiced concern over continued UK arms exports to Israel and recent high-level meetings with Israeli military officials, which critics argue signal political endorsement amid an escalating humanitarian crisis.
Ismael Patel of Friends of Al-Aqsa said:
“This is not simply a war. It is a moral test. Our voices matter because they carry the truth — and no amount of repression can erase that.”
Saturday’s march forms part of what is now one of the longest-running protest movements in modern British history, with organisers pledging to continue their efforts until peace, accountability, and justice are realised.
Read more:
- Mass Protest in London Today to Condemn Gaza Starvation and Ongoing Genocide
- A Year of Labour Government: Promises of Change Clash with Reality, and Gaza Becomes a Flashpoint
- Over 400,000 Demand Nobel Peace Prize for Gaza’s Doctors and UN’s Francesca Albanese
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