THOUSANDS of Palestine supporters in Oldham, Greater Manchester, marched and rallied in support of the people of Gaza over the weekend.

On Sunday, about 3,000 protesters heard speeches on how links of friendship forged between the town and Gaza through an education project had been broken by Israel’s continuing attacks on the enclave and that it was not known if children and teachers involved in the project in Gaza were dead or alive.

The Hands Up project is organised by the Oldham Peace & Justice group.

One of its activists, Sue, told the rally that the project involved online links and meetings with the Gaza teachers and children.

“Currently, I do not know where the teachers are, if they are dead or alive, and I think what is happening to the people in Gaza absolutely abhorrent and heinous,” she said.

“To cut off water, food, fuel supplies to 2.4 million people is a war crime. This is collective punishment by Israel, this needs to stop.”

The protest was organised by United4Palestine, Oldham Peace & Justice, Manchester Palestine Action and Manchester Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

United4Palestine said in a statement: “We are protesting today as our government has failed. The international community is failing and the safeguards we have, our media, to keep them in check has failed miserably.

“We are on the brink of seeing the complete annihilation of 2.4 million people in Gaza and more deaths of Israelis.”

Palestine activists in Oldham were involved in an 18-month campaign that resulted in the closure of the Israeli-owned arms factory Elbit Ferranti in the town in January 2022.