Thousands attend pro-Palestine demonstration in Edinburgh

Thousands of people have joined a pro-Palestine demonstration in Edinburgh ahead of the anniversary of the October 7 attacks in Israel.

The event was organised by Scottish Friends of Palestine and the Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee, with a silent march planned to commemorate all civilians killed.

Organizers called for a ceasefire and for the UK and Scottish governments to impose sanctions on Israel after a recent Oxfam report said 11,000 children have been killed in Gaza – more than any conflict in 18 years, based on UN data.

Activists showed support for 1 million people who fled southern Lebanon following an Israeli invasion and airstrikes, according to Oxfam statistics.

Former first minister Humza Yousaf attended the rally.

Gerry Coutts, 60, a teacher from Glasgow, helped to organize the protest for Scottish Friends of Palestine and said he had never seen as many families attending as in the past year.

Coutts said: "The number of children killed has been higher than any conflict in two decades according to Oxfam, with 6,000 women and 11,000 children killed in Gaza by the Israel Defense Force (IDF).

"Gaza is around the same size as the greater Glasgow area. The report doesn't mention the number of children who have lost a limb, but about 25,000 children have been orphaned or lost a parent.

"The worrying thing is that the pattern the Israeli military has used in Gaza is now unfolding in Lebanon.

"Many of the civilians are Syrian refugees and Palestinian refugees born in Lebanon who do not have citizenship. Palestinians are not even second-class citizens, they do not have citizenship anywhere.

"Statistically, homes in Gaza are being bombed every four hours on average, tents are being bombed every 17 hours on average, schools and hospitals bombed every four days on average, and aid distribution points targeted.

"It is not a normal conflict. We don't teach that there were 'two sides' to apartheid – we look at international law. With apartheid, we didn't want the destruction of white people – we wanted a just society, for everybody."

He said younger people were increasingly turning out to demonstrate.

Coutts said: "I think young people are saying to their parents 'I want to go' – that's been a new thing this year. You can see children are being bombed.

"Social media has changed it a lot – it's the first time we've seen a genocide livestreamed. We are seeing it carried out by a sophisticated military with sophisticated weapons, and livestreamed.

"Even Bush and Regan, when Israel stepped over the line, stopped them – the same with the UK. Not anymore.

"We all condemn all attacks on civilians."

Maree Shepherd, of Show Israel the Red Card, called for the country to be "suspended from world forums" including world sport, and for hostages to be released.

Co-organizer David Myles, from Scottish Friends of Palestine, said: "Political leaders cannot claim to be working towards peace while they arm Israel, accused by the International Court of Justice of plausible genocide.

"Pro-Palestinian protests have continued to grow and show no sign of slowing down, because governments are out of step with the demands of the public.

"While we call for a ceasefire, governments have responded with increased funding and support for Israel and its military action. This must stop."