Peace protestors gathered in Blackburn town centre last Sunday to highlight the ongoing bombing of Gaza. The demo was held on the steps of the town hall and attracted around 100 people of all ages.

Demonstrations have continued across the country and locally there have been protests by a dedicated team of activists outside Barclays Bank and BAE Systems, almost on a weekly basis.

On Sunday, numbers were down on previous events and speakers were keen to stress the need to continue to highlight the ongoing killings in Gaza. 

Children held up banners and others waved Palestinian flags, with the demonstration lasting around an hour. Among those at the demonstration were members of the Blackburn Independents who are competing against the Labour Party in the forthcoming council elections.

The protest came as health officials revealed Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza city of Rafah killed at least 22 people, including six women and five children.

Israel has regularly carried out airstrikes on Rafah since the start of the war and has threatened to send in ground troops. More than a million Palestinians have sought refuge in the city. 

The war has driven around 80 per cent of Gaza’s population of 2.3million from their homes, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine as Israel blocked aid from entering the enclave.