Thousands rally in London in support of Gaza, demand new PM take action

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that thousands of demonstrators marched in London on Saturday, July 18, in support of Palestinian rights and to press incoming UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to take stronger action over Israel’s war in Gaza. The protesters called for an arms embargo on Israel and urged Burnham to pressure the Israeli government to end its siege and military campaign in the enclave.

According to the report, Burnham, the Labour leader, was expected to formally become prime minister the following Monday. The march came amid criticism of outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government, which opponents say failed to do enough to stop UK arms supplies to Israel and relied on limited measures such as sanctions on far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

Al Jazeera said Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, joined the march, as did former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been expelled from Labour under Starmer. Both used social media posts to frame the protest as part of a wider campaign for accountability and Palestinian liberation.

The report said more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. The rally matters politically because it signals that Gaza remains a major pressure point for Labour as Burnham enters office, alongside domestic challenges including living costs, student debt, housing shortages and reported discontent among party members over the party’s stance on Gaza.