LONDON - Protesters have taken to the streets of Britain in response to Israel’s attack on a camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah.
Thousands staged demonstrations against Sunday’s air strike on the Tel al-Sultan shelter which killed at least 45 people.
Many had fled to the so called “safe zone” after being evacuated from the east of the Gazan city by the Israel Defense Forces.
The bombing triggered global protests and calls from world leaders and senior Israeli officials to end the fighting.
Hundreds of Pro-Palestinian protestors marched through central Manchester on Monday. The crowd was heard calling for a ceasefire and chanting “end occupation now”.
Elsewhere in the city, activists who had set up a solidarity camp at the University of Manchester, have now barricaded themselves inside a building on campus.
A group of young Pro-Palestinian protesters were pictured climbing on railings in Burnley, Lancs, while waving Palestinian flags during a demonstration.
The group marched to Burnley Library Peace Gardens where they listened to speakers talk about the ongoing conflict.
A crowd carrying Palestine flags with some wearing the green bibs of the Friends of Al-Aqsa human rights movement were seen marching through the town.
Friends of Al-Aqsa called for an emergency demonstration outside Downing Street in London
Posting on social media, it said: “Let’s mobilise for an emergency rally for Rafah. We have all seen the horrific videos. Spread the word and let’s make it a huge emergency rally for Rafah. Stop the Genocide.”
On May 8 the UN said the Gaza health ministry, which is run by Hamas, had identified 25,000 dead people, including 4,959 women and 7,797 children since the Oct 7 attacks on Israel.
The ministry said there are a further 10,000 corpses, but has not been able to secure information to meet its standard for identification, which includes full names and official ID numbers.
The recent air strikes came after a ruling by the International Court of Justice that Israel must cease its military offensive in Rafah.
Israel admitted there had been civilian casualties in Rafah but said its forces were aiming at a Hamas compound, killing two senior commanders.
On Monday, Mr Netanyahu told the Israeli parliament: “In Rafah, we evacuated a million uninvolved residents and, despite our best efforts, a tragic accident happened yesterday.”