IUML to hold protest rally in Kozhikode against Israeli attacks on Gaza

Malappuram: The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), an ally in the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, on Monday announced it would be holding a huge rally this week against the alleged "wanton" killing of civilians, including children, in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza strip.

The IUML said the conscience of the world appears to have been paralysed as no nation was taking steps to end the conflict.

"Despite all that is happening, the western and European nations are coming out with more support for Israel. They are competing with each other to support Israel.

"The actions of Israel raise the question as to whether the conscience of the world and that of humanity has been paralysed," IUML National General Secretary P K Kunhalikutty said here at a press conference.

He said the situation in Gaza indicates that in the civilised world of today "there is no limit to bloodshed".

The senior IUML leader said protest rallies were held in many nations, inlcuding Britain and USA, and even in many Indian cities against Israel's actions.

"In these circumstances, we decided to hold the biggest peaceful protest rally in Kozhikode on October 26," Kunhalikutty, also the UDF MLA from Vengara assembly constituency in Malappuram district of Kerala, said.

He said if human conscience wakes up, the protests would have an effect.

The senior IUML leader also claimed that the present government in Israel was the most unpopular in that nation's history.

He also alleged that the Hamas attack on Israel was the outcome of the continuous attacks on Gaza and the oppression of the people living there by Israel.

The former Kerala minister also contended that had the western nations, including USA, intervened earlier the conflict could have been avoided.

More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed mostly civilians slain during the initial Hamas attack, the Israeli government has claimed.

More than 4,600 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. That includes the disputed toll from a hospital explosion.

Israel declared war after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza on October 7.

The ongoing conflict has become the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides.