Gaza protesters clamber into boxes in Parliament Square

 
Message: protesters in Parliament Square earlier today
Alexandra Rucki14 August 2014

Scores of protesters clambered inside tiny boxes outside Parliament to highlight the plight of civilians they say are trapped in Gaza.

About 150 people are believed to have taken part in the stunt in Parliament Square. It was organised by Oxfam, which is a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee delivering urgent aid and trying to begin reconstruction.

The charity has warned full recovery from the catastrophe will be impossible unless Israel’s blockade ends and is calling on the government to clarify what action it will take.

Demonstration: a protester squeezes into a box outside Parliament

Oxfam spokeswoman Lisa Rutherford, who attended the protest, said it aimed to highlight the conditions of those living in Gaza.

She went on: "We wanted to illustrate that people are trapped by the blockade. We thought the best demonstration of that would be to have individuals... in boxes to show that restriction."

Boxed in: 150 people, including children, took part in the stunt

Nishant Pandey, head of Oxfam in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, said: "The international community will be guilty of a dereliction of duty if it stands by and watches the blockade continue to impose further misery on Palestinians in Gaza.

"Israel does have legitimate security concerns, but punishing everyone in Gaza will not achieve lasting peace and security for either Palestinians or Israelis. Enough is enough - the blockade must be lifted now."

The charity estimates 80 per cent of people are currently reliant on aid and essentials such as power, clean water and sewage systems are scarce.

It also estimates that more than 100,000 people have had their homes completely destroyed since the beginning of the latest conflict.

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