Thousands of demonstrators marched through central London on Sunday, calling for the immediate release of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. Organised by the coalition Stop the Hate, the procession set off from Marble Arch and was due to end with a rally outside Downing Street. Among the marchers was Noga Guttman, cousin of 24-year-old hostage Evyatar David, whose emaciated appearance in a recently released Hamas video has intensified public pressure on Israel and its allies to secure a deal. Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people during the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel; about 50 hostages have yet to be freed and roughly 20 are believed to be alive. Israel last week said it intends to occupy Gaza City in an effort to end the war and rescue the captives, a plan criticised by some relatives and foreign governments as likely to endanger the remaining hostages. Sunday’s action followed a turbulent weekend in the British capital. On Saturday, the Metropolitan Police arrested 532 people at a protest backing the banned group Palestine Action, designated a terrorist organisation last month. Officers said they were ‘braced’ for further unrest but reported no major incidents during the pro-hostage march.