Thousands protest over Gaza

Thousands of protesters have voiced their anger at the bombing of Gaza in a series of rallies across the UK. The protesters - including singer Annie Lennox and Respect MP George Galloway - marched along the Embankment in London to Trafalgar Square to call for an immediate end to the Israeli attacks. The demonstration in the capital was the biggest of at least 18 organised across the country. Former model Bianca Jagger and singer Lennox have backed the protests, calling on American President-elect Barack Obama to speak up against the bombardment. Speaking at a press conference in central London, Ms Jagger said: "I would like to make an appeal to President-elect Obama to speak up. "People throughout the world were hopeful when he was elected and we must appeal to him to ask for the immediate cessation of the bombardment of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip." Lennox spoke of her shock at watching scenes of the bombing on television. She said: "A few days after Christmas I came downstairs, put the television on, and saw smoke pyres coming from buildings and I was shocked to the core because I was thinking as a mother and as a human being. "How was this going to be the solution to peace?" Former mayor of London Ken Livingstone and comedian Alexei Sayle have also added their support to the campaign to end the violence. Comedian Sayle said he was speaking out because it was important for Jewish voices to be heard. He said: "I want to feel proud of Israel, I want to be proud of my people but I am ashamed." More than 400 Gazans have been killed and some 1,700 have been wounded since Israel began its aerial campaign last Saturday, Gaza health officials said. The UN said the death toll in Gaza included more than 60 civilians, 34 of them children.

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ITN | January 3, 2009

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