End ‘ongoing horrors in Gaza’

End ‘ongoing horrors in Gaza’

28 May 2025

SEVERAL hundred people attended an event in Newcastle on Sunday in support of the people of Palestine.

The town’s promenade was bedecked in the red, black, white and green of the Palestinian national flag as supporters marched from the Downs Road car park to the sphere at the opposite end of the town. 

Chants of “Free Free Palestine” echoed through the air as the crowd covered the path and green around the sphere to hear the speeches and songs organised by local solidarity group Mourne For Palestine. 

The focus of the rally was what organisers described as “Western complicity in the ongoing genocide in Palestine”.  

Dr Fionna McDonald, a member of Irish Healthcare Workers for Palestine, spoke at the event which was attended by South Down MP Chris Hazzard and a number of local councillors.

She said: “It’s not controversial to say that killing close to 20,000 children is not self-defence.

“It is not controversial to say no child should be forced to endure amputation without anaesthetic or sniper bullet to the head. 

“It is not controversial to say that bombing hospitals and killing healthcare workers are war crimes. It should not be controversial to say that what is being done to the civilian population of Gaza at the hands of the Israeli Government with the support of the USA and UK is consistent with genocide.”

The rally was told that 14,000 babies are at risk of death within days, according to the UN. 

Dr McDonald said “real action must be taken now in the form of sanctions, not hollow words and empty rhetoric”.

She continued: “If just 3.5% of the population engage in non-violent protest, then this will bring about real political change. Peaceful protest is the most powerful way of shaping world politics.” 

Other speakers included Loretta Harper, of Mothers Against Genocide, who read aloud the testimony of Rahaf Alkfarna, a young woman from Gaza.

Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s Marc Mac Seáin claimed the “ongoing horrors in Gaza are being directly enabled by the British government”, while renowned local musician, Matt McGinn, performed a powerful self-penned song inspired by one of the many tragedies that have unfolded in the Gaza strip over the past year and a half. 

Mourne for Palestine’s next march will take place on Saturday, June 21, with details to follow on Instagram: @mourneforpalestine and/or Facebook @themournesforpalestine, to keep up to date on future events.