A SILENT vigil was held outside of the Scottish Parliament to honour people taken hostage by Hamas amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Dozens of red heart-shaped balloons were tied to shoes outside the Scottish Parliament on Sunday afternoon, each representing one of the 242 people the Israeli military say have been kidnapped by Hamas.
It is believed 37 children are among those missing since the October 7 attack.
Organisers said the vigil was not political and also sought to recognise the Palestinians who had been caught up in the conflict.
The vigil encouraged people to stop and look at the individual pictures and details of the hostages.
Sarah Grossman, one of the organisers, told the PA news agency: "We’re here to join communities all over the world in a peaceful manner, demanding our babies, children, women, youth, fathers and elderly are returned home.
“What we’re doing is giving a voice to those who have been nameless.
“These babies have been living, and we hope they’re living, in unthinkable conditions that we’ve only ever seen before as a nation during the concentration camps.”
“Regarding Palestinians, we are here to stand with those who are hostages, no matter who they are.
“No child should have to live through such times.
“This is not a political statement, we genuinely want the hostages released under no uncertain terms.”
On Saturday, demonstrators held up mock body bags in protest at the war in Gaza, with crowds gathered outside of the BBC headquarters in Glasgow with signs that said: “Every child’s future in Gaza lies in a body bag.”
Meanwhile, activists filled up Edinburgh’s Waverley Station with Palestinian flags, and a sit-in took place at Glasgow Central Station.
