Rallies throughout Europe call for release of Hamas hostages held for 100 days

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Thousands of pro-Israel protesters gathered in London, Paris and Berlin on Sunday to call for the release of hostages held by Hamas for 100 days.

Several thousand people turned London’s Trafalgar Square into a sea of Israeli flags and yellow balloons, symbolising the 132 hostages who remain captive after being kidnapped on October 7.

The Hamas attacks triggered the Israeli military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 23,000 people.

Some supporters held placards reading “stand with Israel” and “never again is now”, while guest speakers on a stage led the crowd in chants of “bring them home”.

The event was marked by a heavy police presence and tight security, with bag checks and body searches.

“I’m here to support Israel, to support our community and our people,” Arthur Goldberg, 56, from north London, told AFP.

“You have to have empathy with an ordinary Gazan citizen, they are going through a nightmare. However, there are 150 hostages that are being detained.”

“There are consequences to how governments behave, and they voted for that government.”

The Hamas attack resulted in about 1,140 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

The fighters also abducted around 250 people from southern Israeli communities and a music festival, although dozens were released for Palestinian prisoners in a swap in late November.

Israel has since bombarded Gaza, killing at least 23,968 people in the Palestinian territory, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.