Vigil held in London for children killed in Gaza

Those participating in the vigil each wrote the name of a dead Palestinian child on their hand

About 60 people have gathered in London to hold a vigil for children killed in Gaza during the conflict with Israel.

During the event organised by the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) in Parliament Square, each person attending wrote the name of a dead Palestinian child on their hand.

Among those there was Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who has extended family in Gaza.

It comes a day after a pro-Israel rally and vigil was held in Trafalgar Square.

Those at Tuesday's vigil wrote on their hands to mirror the actions of children in Gaza, who have been writing their names on their hands as a means of identifying their bodies should they be killed.

A minute's silence was also held.

'Our life is a nightmare'

During the event, Halla Keir, from MAP, read out a message from nine-year-old Zeina Abu Libdeh, who was displaced from her home in the Al Remal area of Gaza.

Halla Keir says it is "crucial" to share Palestinians' stories because she does not think "they are cutting through"

Part of the young girl's message said: "I used to like watching videos on the phone but now I am scared as all of it is footage of children's bodies shattered into pieces.

"I miss my neighbours and I miss my friends. I no longer play. Our life is a nightmare. Please let the war end.

"Even if the war ended how can our life be the same? Our house was bombarded and our neighbourhood no longer exists."

More on Israel-Gaza war

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• Gaza: Some Gazans return to north despite risks, UN says

Melanie Ward, chief executive of MAP, told BBC London: "We're here today to give voice to the more than one million children in Gaza who don't have a voice at the moment and who are terrified as to whether they're going to survive.

Melanie Ward explained the name on her hand belonged to her colleague's 13-year-old niece, who died when their home was bombed

"It's very clear that the only way the international community can uphold its responsibility to protect the civilians of Gaza is to have a ceasefire now," she continued.

"We need the international community to take action."

Ms Ward said the charity had staff on the ground in Gaza providing support, but they were "struggling to survive" and "they don't know if a bomb will fall on their house next".

"They're trying to find clean water to drink, they don't have enough food to eat. They're desperate," she added.

Lib Dem MP Ms Moran said she attended the vigil because she was "heartbroken like everyone else", and echoed the calls for a ceasefire.

She said innocent civilians should not suffer as a consequence of "what is clearly a barbarous act by Hamas", but stressed the answer to that violence is "not what is happening now".

The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an an attack on Israel on 7 October, killing more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians. Israel says more than 200 people are still being held hostage in Gaza.

Officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza say more than 5,000 Palestinians, including around 2,000 children and 1,100 women, have been killed in the conflict so far, after Israel began retaliatory air strikes.

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