People in Hayes have rallied together to ask shops to stop selling goods imported from Israel as part of a fight to secure justice and peace for people in Gaza.
On Saturday, August 2, they brought their families, banners and fighting spirit to Hayes town centre before campaigning local shops to boycott goods from Israel.
Several shops agreed on the day and now display posters in their windows with the words: ‘To Secure Peace, We Don’t Sell Israeli Goods’.
More than 150 people joined forces with Hayes and Harlington Labour MP John McDonnell at a public meeting to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The Hayes4Gaza campaign was created at the meeting at Mr McDonnell's constituency office in Pump Lane on Thursday last week (July 31).
“The meeting was completely packed, there was a huge group of people from right across the community,” he said.
“There were people from all different religious backgrounds, all different ages, all wanting to help in some way and what came out of it was as a community asking 'how do we put pressure on Israel for a long term ceasefire and peace?'”
The group's answer? To boycott Israeli goods, asking shopkeepers not to sell anything imported from Israel, or Palestinian territories that are illegally occupied by Israel, to put pressure on the country to halt bombing in Gaza.
The Gaza Strip is sandwiched between Israel and Egypt and has been a flashpoint in the Israel-Palestinian conflict for years.
Health officials say some 1,460 Palestinians, mostly civilians and many children, have died in the conflict and sixty-three Israelis, mostly soldiers, have died.
On Sunday, August 3, Hayes4Gaza campaigners met once more at the bandstand in Hayes Town centre to light candles for children who have been injured or killed in the conflict.
Mr McDonnell said he has been sent more than 200 emails from people calling out to help secure peace for Gaza in the conflict.
Follow the campaign on Twitter using the hashtag #Hayes4Gaza
