Protesters in Inverness call for Gaza ceasefire

Dozens of protesters gathered outside Inverness Town House on Saturday to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The Israel Defence Force has been preparing for a ground invasion of Gaza in recent weeks in response to the killing of civilians during a mass attack by Hamas on October 7, launched from within Gaza.

More than 1400 people are believed to have been killed in the shock attack, including 240 people who had been attending a music festival.

Hamas also took hostages.

But while the Israeli government's wish to track down the culprits and free the hostages has drawn widespread support, there have also been strong concerns voiced over the death toll among innocent Palestinian civilians living in Gaza.

Concerns have also been raised over the humanitarian crisis developing within Gaza, with access to water, food and electricity cut off.

Local group Highland-Palestine organised an hour-long protest and vigil outside Inverness Town House in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, calling for an immediate ceasefire in a bid to prevent further bloodshed.

A spokesperson for the group said: "There needs to be an immediate ceasefire and the creation of a humanitarian corridor to provide relief to the 2.3 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza, an area not much bigger than the Black Isle.

"The West Bank too is under martial law and subject to a total lockdown. There is no travel between cities and villages: all 600 checkpoints have been closed."

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.