As the Israel-Palestine conflict continued, clashes erupted between pro-Israel and pro-Palestine supporters on Monday at the High Street Kensington Underground Station in the UK. Thousands of people were seen on the streets raising slogans such as “Israel is a terrorist state” and “free Palestine.” Police officers were deployed to restrain tensions between sympathisers on opposing sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Their priority was keeping the peace and avoiding violence between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protesters as events overseas triggered heated demonstrations in London. According to a report in the Guardian, the London Police also arrested three people.
Flares and fireworks were also seen during the clashes, reported the Guardian. A video doing rounds on social media also showed police officials trying to separate pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups at High Street Kensington tube station which was not far from the Israeli embassy.
Meanwhile, the military arm of the Palestinian group Hamas, Qassam Brigades, issued a warning that it will execute Israeli hostages in response to the airstrikes on civilian areas of the Gaza Strip. Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the Qassam Brigades, asserted that this drastic measure was a direct reaction to the relentless aerial bombardments which is being carried out by the Israeli military in residential zones of the Gaza Strip.
He said, "We have decided to put an end to this, and as of now, we declare that any targeting of our people in their homes without prior warning will be regrettably faced with the execution of one of the hostages we are holding."
Israel's Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen, responded to this threat by urging Hamas to refrain from harming the Israeli hostages that are currently held in Gaza. Cohen emphasised Israel's unwavering commitment to bringing its people back home. Cohen added, "We will defeat terror. We have no other choice. We demand Hamas not to harm any of the hostages. Their safety is their responsibility. This war crime will not be forgiven."
Meanwhile, UK PM Rishi Sunak has branded the people supporting Hamas for the "appalling attack" as "terrorists".
"The people who support Hamas are fully responsible for this appalling attack. They are not militants. They are not freedom fighters. They are terrorists," posted Sunak on X.
1,400 Dead So Far In Israel-Hamas War
In a major escalation on October 7, Hamas launched a "surprise attack" on Israel, firing a barrage of rockets into the southern and central parts of the country. The conflict has led to the death of around 1,400 people which includes both Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict caught Israel off guard and as per Israeli media reports, at least 900 individuals have been killed in the multi-pronged attack launched by Hamas.
For the first time in decades, Israel's streets became battlegrounds as fierce clashes erupted in response to the surprise attack by Hamas.
The Israeli military has claimed that they have made substantial progress in regaining control in southern towns where they have been engaging with the Hamas militants. However, Hamas and other Gaza-based militant groups have asserted that they currently hold more than 130 soldiers and civilians who were taken from within Israeli territory.