Events held in Scotland marking one year since start of latest Middle East conflict

Events are being held across Scotland this weekend as the one-year anniversary of the latest Middle East conflict draws near.

Thousands attended a pro-Palestinian rally in Edinburgh, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to highlight the human cost of Israel’s response to the 7 October attacks by Hamas.

Demonstrations also took place in Aberdeen and Inverness on Saturday.

A vigil to remember the victims of the Hamas attacks on Israel will be held in Glasgow on Sunday.

The war began when Hamas gunmen attacked Israel on 7 October last year, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others as hostages. A total of 97 hostages remain unaccounted for.

Israel responded with a military campaign in Gaza that has now killed at least 41,825 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Violence has spread to Lebanon in recent weeks.

Thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters marched from the foot of the mound through Edinburgh city centre waving the flags of both Palestine and Lebanon.

Organisers, Stop the War Coalition, are calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East and an end to Britain supplying arms to Israel.

One of those attending the demonstration was Majdi Awwad from Tulkarm in the West Bank who is now living in Edinburgh.

He said a year into the conflict, he feels “more hope” in part due to the public’s awareness of events.

He said: “All of the people who are attending the rally get to understand what is happening.

“Not everybody has to be a part of the story, but as long as they have in their conscience and the knowledge about what is happening it will be much better.”

Omar Afzal, who travelled from Glasgow to attend the event, said he was worried that the war was spreading more widely across the Middle East.

“It’s still deeply concerning and truth be told we don’t see much light at the end of the tunnel at this point in time,” he said.

The First Minister John Swinney has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to UK arms being exported to Israel.

Sir Keir Starmer said a “ceasefire that lasts” must “happen now” in the Israel-Gaza conflict while speaking at the Scottish Labour conference in February.

Earlier this week, the defence secretary, John Healey, said UK forces were involved in supporting Israel after Iran launched ballistic missiles at the country.

The last week has seen a significant escalation of the crisis in the Middle East, with warnings that it could develop into an all-out regional war.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has been assassinated, Israel has launched a ground invasion of Lebanon, and Iran has fired nearly 200 ballistic missiles at targets across Israel.

The prime minister has told British nationals in Lebanon they “must leave now”, following a further escalation in the region.