Hundreds attend London vigil to call for children kidnapped by Hamas to be freed

Posters for missing Israeli children were placed around Parliament Square

Hundreds marched to a central London memorial on Sunday to commemorate Israeli victims of the Hamas attack and beg for kidnap victims to be freed.

Many were draped in Israeli flags and posters saying “bring them home” with the names and faces of hostages captured by Hamas handed out to attendees of the march.

Police officers could be seen patrolling the peaceful event in Parliament Square which came the day after a pro-Palestine rally.

People at a vigil at Parliament Square in London, for victims and hostages of the Hamas attacks. (PA)

The marchers gathered outside Westminster at a vigil held for those abducted by Hamas from southern Israel last weekend.

One woman, Jenny, was arranging memorial candles. “It’s just tragic. I wasn’t directly affected. My parents live in central Israel, fortunately. So they are having to deal with Hamas rockets.”

One shows the face of Ariel, a four-year-old boy taken by the militant group. “Ariel, four-year-old Israeli. Kidnapped from his home,” the poster reads.

A woman lights a candle a vigil at Parliament Square (PA)

The devastated cousin of the boys has shared heartwrenching home footage of nine-month old Kfir and four-year-old Ariel, who are thought to be held captive in the ruins of Gaza.

Yifat Zailer, 37, from Israel, said that six of her relatives had been taken from their home in Nir Oz kibbuz in southern Israel last Saturday.

Nine-month old Kfir and four-year-old Ariel who are thought to being held in Gaza (Yifat Zailer)

She shared footage of Ariel blowing out candles on his fourth birthday, Kfir giggling and gurgling at the camera, with the video captioned: “This is my family”.

It came after home secretary Suella Braverman issued a stark warning to demonstrators at pro-Palestine rallies, some of whom she said were involved in glorifying terrorism.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, she said: “Thank you to police officers who worked so hard yesterday in difficult circumstances to manage tens of thousands of protesters. Numerous arrests were made as a result of pockets of disorder, violence and hate.

“To all those who saw fit to promote genocide, glorify terrorism and mock the murder of Jewish people, including women and babies – the police are coming for you.”