ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Thousands of people joined a pro-Palestine protest in London today as a 12-hour ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was held in Gaza.

Protesters chanted 'Free Palestine' outside the Israeli Embassy as they called for an end to the conflict in the West Bank.

The march from Kensington High Street, west London, to Parliament was the latest in a series of protests organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, as tensions soared in the Middle East.

#Gaza protest now in #London this is just where I'm standing, thousands of ppl around us pic.twitter.com/cgxwcBHsBJ — Mansoureh Mills (@MansourehMills) July 26, 2014

Several similar protests were being held across the country today.

In the Middle East, civilians on both sides have been hardest hit over the past 18 days.

In total, almost 900 Palestinians and 40 Israelis, most of them soldiers, have been killed.

Yesterday activists delivered a petition to Downing Street calling on the UK government to announce an immediate arms embargo on Israel.

They were joined by MPs Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott and Jim Fitzpatrick.

Hugh Lanning, PSC chair, said: “Israel is in violation of international law with its attack on the civilian population of Gaza.

"Our aid and arms are helping to kill these innocent people in Gaza.

"Now it’s time for our government to respond appropriately and impose sanctions, in particular an arms embargo, unless Israel ends this bloody campaign of collective punishment against the Palestinian people.”

Last Saturday, more than 15,000 people marched through central London to show their opposition to attacks by the Israeli military.