Crowds gathered at a demonstration calling for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine with chants of “we are all Palestinians” ringing around a city centre.

About 75 people attended the protest outside Canterbury Cathedral this morning organised by the South East Kent Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

After Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, violence in the region has increased, with the Israeli government heavily bombing Gaza and preparing to invade the area.

Demonstrations across the UK have called for the government to urge an end to hostilities and the one in Canterbury went ahead peacefully.

Former Thanet district councillor Aram Rawf attended the rally, and told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “It’s very important to come out here because people are dying on both sides, civilians are dying on both sides.

“We need to shout loud as much as we can to have a ceasefire now before more people die.

“We are the people of Britain calling for a ceasefire and the government should listen to the British people.”

In the historic Buttermarket outside Canterbury Cathedral protestors mustered at 11.30am.

Chants were heard of “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” and “in our hundreds, in our thousands, in our millions we are all Palestinians”.

Members of other organisations such as Stop the War Coalition, the Socialist Worker Party and Socialist Appeal were also present.

Andy Ashenhurst, a former University of Kent lecturer, said: “I’ve been supporting the campaign now for many years.”

He argues “our government and the opposition are silent” about the suffering of Palestinian civilians.

He described Gaza as “the only part of Palestine that’s left, so I don’t blame them for defending themselves”.

On the Hamas attack which initiated the flare up in the conflict, he said: “The Israelis have been killing and slaughtering Palestinians for 60 years so they’re making the most of this, they’re milking it.

“Of course it wasn’t a good thing, but in the scheme of things it’s a small matter really in the scheme of 70 years.”

Hugh Lanning, a former chairman of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and previously a Labour parliamentary candidate for Canterbury, said he was attending “for humanitarian reasons”.

“People are appalled by the violence and the death of innocent people both Israelis and Palestinians.

“But also at the moment it’s the failure of all of the major political parties, the government and the Labour party to call for a ceasefire.

“I think that’s a misuse of English to describe what’s been going on at the moment as self defence, it is an onslaught that is killing hundreds and hundreds of innocent people.

“Children of whatever nationality should not be the victims of war.”

A vigil will be held at Canterbury Cathedral at 6.30pm tomorrow calling for peace and praying for victims in the conflict.

A spokesperson for the cathedral said: “This is an entirely non-political event to remember and pray for all communities impacted in the Holy Land.

“Only flags or signs for peace may be displayed. No political slogans or other flags/symbols permitted in the Precincts.”

Those attending are also being invited to bring battery-operated candles and there will be an opportunity for everyone to tie a white ribbon for peace, and a time of silence to remember the dead, kidnapped and injured.

Israeli ground forces, including tank columns, pushed into northern Gaza over the weekend as Tel Aviv’s military continued to pound the territory from air, land and sea.