As the United States, after nearly six months of inexcusable prevarication, gradually inches towards calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign are planning a full programme of local initiatives tomorrow, Saturday March 23rd.

The US has previously blocked all attempts at the United Nations to back an immediate ceasefire. Britain has repeatedly abstained on the issue. The shift comes as the UN warns of an “entirely man-made” famine in Gaza.

This week, two new reports underlined the crisis. With more than 670,000 people already experiencing famine levels of food insecurity, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification estimated that number will rise to around half of Gaza’s population in the next three months.

Another group, the Famine Early Warning System Network, warned that famine in northern Gaza – which has been largely cut off from aid for months – is “imminent” and likely to occur by May.

The prospect of famine is just one aspect of the catastrophe being visited on the people of Gaza. The targeting of civilians, the deliberate destruction of Palestinian culture and the destruction of hospitals all constitute war crimes.

Palestinian medics are paying a particularly heavy price. One wrote recently to colleagues in the UK: “We have in our medical group many friends who lost so many members of their families: from six to thirty. I have lost 33 of my extended family, including a baby of three months, and a little girl of six years.

“The ugly and murderous reality there is beyond comprehension. The same army can target one leader in Beirut with such precision that only his flat in a whole building is targeted, and yet bomb whole tower buildings, hospitals, schools and universities out of existence in much more than collective punishment.

“Nothing else can describe that but genocide… My hand is shaking while I’m writing this, as I feel so helpless, bewildered and just very, very sad.”

Direct action to highlight Israel’s atrocities is on the increase. This week, hundreds of trade unionists blockaded major arms factories in England and Scotland that manufacture weapons supplied to Israel.

Meanwhile wide discrepancies continue to emerge in the response of local authorities to the issue of an immediate Gaza ceasefire. Many across the country have passed resolutions to this effect. In others, such as Hackney and Lambeth in London, Labour Councillors have been suspended for supporting the demand.

In Hastings, the local police were called when a peaceful protest attempted to challenge the ruling by the Labour Mayor not to allow discussion of a ceasefire motion tabled by the Green and Independent administration that now runs the council.

Readers may recall that late last year, seven leading Hastings Councillors, including Leader Paul Barnett and Deputy Leader Maya Evans, resigned from the Labour Party to form a Hastings Independents group.

When the full council met on March 20^th,members of the public stood up to ask that the motion for a ceasefire be allowed. Within seconds, the Mayor closed the meeting. A video of the events contradicts Labour’s narrative  – they branded the night’s events as a “disgrace” – of supposed mob rule and protestors refusing to leave.

The motion was ruled inadmissible by the Mayor in consultation with council officers on the grounds that it was not relevant to Hastings residents. But Hastings Independents argue that their motion calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza also asked the council to support the ongoing work by Hastings Mosque to build bridges between residents of Hastings and tackle the rise in Islamophobia which is impacting on the lives of Muslims there.

Leader of Hastings Independents, Cllr. Paul Barnett, said: “Before becoming a Councillor, I worked in local government since 1985, and have never seen a meeting abandoned like this before. The lifeblood of local democracy is engaging residents who we are there to represent. When I became Council Leader, I introduced open public questions at Cabinet meetings and believe that if the public care enough to attend council meetings they should be listened to. What happened last night is unacceptable and Hastings Independents will campaign for changes to ensure that Hastings Council doesn’t behave like this again.”

The motion underlined how the ongoing attack on Gaza has had a profound impact internationally, nationally and in Hastings, pointing out that the war had not only destroyed Gaza, killing more than 30,000 residents, but led to further bombing of Yemen, Lebanon and Syria, dramatically increasing global tensions as a result. Public opinion, it affirmed, was overwhelmingly in favour of an immediate ceasefire, with 76% of UK residents now supporting this.

Hastings has seen a series of well-attended protests about the war, organised by local community groups. In January, a council motion calling for Hastings to twin with Al Mawasi, a small coastal fishing community in Gaza, wasn’t allowed to be debated because officers decided it wasn’t relevant local business.

In recent days, a threat of violence was received by Hastings Mosque, threatening to target their Sunday School, attended every week by 150 children. As a result, 100 residents attended the Mosque on Sunday March 3rd to show support for the Muslim community.

In this context, the motion offered support to the significant Muslim community of Hastings, by calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, and to everyone in the Hastings area who has been affected, including the Jewish and Muslim communities.

The motion repudiated all forms of hate speech, specifically including expressions of antisemitism and Islamophobia, and acknowledged the importance of the educational work being done by Hastings Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Hastings and Rother Refugee Buddy Project and Hastings Mosque between the children of Hastings and Al Mawasi in Gaza. It welcomed the Mosque’s commitment  to foster dialogue with other religions including the local Jewish community and undertake long-term planning for further education links between young people in Hastings and Gaza.