I am sure like me you are here because you feel you have no choice. It is a moral imperative to show solidarity with people in Gaza and Palestine. It is sobering to realise that for the first time in history, genocide is being recorded live on social media by the victims themselves. No one can say they did not know.

I am deeply ashamed of our government’s refusal to impose sanctions on Israel, to ban arms exports and support the ICC and ICJ investigations into genocide and war crimes, or even simply demand that Gazans be given immediate and full access to food, water, fuel, shelter and medical supplies.

But I feel anger toward so called religious leaders who are failing to give moral leadership and pressure the government to comply with UN resolutions and uphold the rule of international humanitarian law. Where are the Archbishops and Bishops today? They still refuse to acknowledge let alone condemn Israel for imposing apartheid, and perpetrating ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza and Palestine.They are false prophets crying ‘peace, peace’ when there is no peace. They have not only lost their voices but lost their moral authority also.

It is hard to comprehend the enormity of the indiscriminate death and destruction Israel has wrought on Gaza. More women and children have been murdered or injured in Gaza than are here today in this demonstration. 

What can we do? We can pray to the God of justice to bring an end to this evil, will punish war criminals and bring swift justice and lasting peace to Palestinians free in their own land. And we can act. If our political leaders won’t impose sanctions, we can boycott and divest from companies profiting from or facilitating the genocide in Gaza and the West Bank. And remember to use your vote wisely in the forthcoming May local elections.

I invite you to join me in a minutes silence to remember the bereaved, the injured and traumatised in Gaza and Palestine today.

Photos taken at the annual Al Quds Day March in London from Marble Arch to the BBC in Langham Place. In supporting this demonstration against genocide on Gaza, it should not be inferred that I necessarily endorse all of the statements appearing on all the placards appearing in these photos.