LONDON: Thousands of people gathered and over 70 were arrested at a pro-Palestinian rally in central London on Saturday (Jan 18), on the eve of the start of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The majority were detained on suspicion of breaching the authorised perimeter for the protest near key government buildings in central London.

The ceasefire, which comes into effect Sunday morning, involves the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, Israeli withdrawal from densely populated areas of Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid deliveries to the war-ravaged region. 

"We desperately want to be optimistic" about the truce, Sophie Mason told AFP.

"And so we need to be out on the streets in order to make sure the ceasefire holds," said the 50-year-old, who is a regular at the pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the British capital.

The 70 arrests at the demonstration were the largest number since the rallies began in London in October 2023, according to the Metropolitan police.

The demonstration was set to be a static rally in Whitehall, the site of the main British government offices after police rejected the route initially proposed by organisers - which the Met police said would have been in the vicinity of a synagogue.

However, police said there was a "coordinated effort" by the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC) to breach the conditions, after some protesters moved away from Whitehall and towards Trafalgar Square.

"This is the highest number of arrests we have seen, in response to the most significant escalation in criminality," police commander Adam Slonecki said in a statement.

"Investigations are now underway and we will make every effort to bring prosecutions against those we identify."

The PSC has previously called the policing restrictions "repressive".

"TOO LATE"

At the protest, participants held up placards bearing slogans including "Stop arming Israel" or "Gaza, stop the massacre" amid regular chants of "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free".

"Obviously, we're delighted there's a cease fire", said Linda Plant, a retiree from London, however, pointing out that Israeli strikes on Gaza have continued since the ceasefire deal was announced Wednesday.

"We need to make pressure to make that ceasefire hold" and for international aid to reach Gaza, said Ben, 36, a workers union member who only shared his first name.

For Anisah Qausher, a student, the ceasefire is "too late, I think it's too little". 

While she hopes it will bring "temporary relief", she believes that "we're gonna need to do a lot more", citing the challenge of rebuilding Gaza.

According to the Met, 65 protesters were arrested on suspicion of breaching protest conditions, while others were arrested suspected of offences including assault, support of a proscribed group and obstructing police.

A counter-demonstration with around 100 protesters waving Israeli flags also gathered nearby.

Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war and resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Of the 251 people taken hostage, 94 are still in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory campaign has destroyed much of Gaza, killing 46,899 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.