PROTESTORS in Belfast city centre have staged a New Year’s Eve vigil in support of Gaza.
Organised by the local branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, crowds with placards marched from Writer’s Square to the Northern Ireland Office building at Erskine House.
It follows a Christmas Day vigil outside Belfast City Hall organised by the Gaels Against Genocide group.
It follows the news this week that Israel has suspended more than two dozen humanitarian organisations in Gaza, including Doctors Without Borders and Care, accusing the groups of not complying with new registration rules.
Israel says this is to prevent Hamas and other militant groups from infiltrating aid organisations, having already alleged that Hamas was siphoning off aid supplies during the war.
Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign during a vigil from Writers square to Erskine on New Years Eve.
PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN
The organisations have said the rule changes were arbitrary and would harm a displaced population desperate for humanitarian aid.
After the Hamas-led attacks against Israel killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in October 2023, the retaliation from Israel in Gaza has since killed more than 71,000 people according to the Hamas-led health ministry.
A fragile ceasefire has been in place since October, but UN-backed food security experts say that despite an improvement in food supplies around 100,000 people are still experiencing “catastrophic conditions.”
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Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign during a vigil from Writers square to Erskine on New Years Eve.
PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN 
Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign during a vigil from Writers square to Erskine on New Years Eve.
PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN 
Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign during a vigil from Writers square to Erskine on New Years Eve.
PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN 
Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign during a vigil from Writers square to Erskine on New Years Eve.
PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN 
Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign during a vigil from Writers square to Erskine on New Years Eve.
PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN 
Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign during a vigil from Writers square to Erskine on New Years Eve.
PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN 
Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign during a vigil from Writers square to Erskine on New Years Eve.
PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN