Belfast City Hall illuminated white as 'strong symbol and call for peace in the Middle East'

Belfast City Hall has been illuminated in white on Wednesday evening as a “strong symbol and call for peace in the Middle East”.The move was agreed at the latest full meeting of council on Wednesday 1 November.

It comes as Israeli forces stormed Gaza's largest hospital, where hundreds of patients, including newborns, have been stranded, in what they claimed was a "targeted operation".

Witnesses say they saw tanks inside the complex of Shifa hospital and Israeli soldiers in the intensive care unit.

Israel has accused Hamas of using Palestinians as human shields, while Palestinians and rights groups say Israel has recklessly endangered civilians as it seeks to eradicate the group.

On Belfast City Council's website, the agreed illumination motion reads: "That we again endorse and repeat what we have already agreed by illuminating the building white as a strong symbol and call for peace in the Middle East.

“Let us go beyond that again by publicly stating (publishing) that Belfast City Council condemns the killing of civilians which has taken place on all sides and calls for a full and immediate ceasefire, with international intervention and leadership brought to bear in securing a lasting peace, the establishment of a peace process, focusing upon democracy as a means for resolving conflict and underpinned by strong protections, in terms of human rights etc, the release of all hostages and an immediate and comprehensive arms embargo on all parties to the conflict.”

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