Amnesty Isle of Man and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign IoM are holding a public vigil this weekend to mark three years of conflict in Gaza.

The event on Saturday, October 3 will take place in the ‘Cultural Quarter’ public space near the Sefton Hotel on Harris Promenade in Douglas.

Phil Matthews, one of the organisers, said: ‘From 8am to 8pm, volunteers will be reading the names of more than 10,000 children who have been killed in the most horrific and inhumane acts of barbarism imaginable.

‘There are more than 20,000 recorded names of dead children and at least another estimated 5,000 buried under the rubble yet to be found.

‘Each week, mass funerals are taking place of bodies that have been excavated.

‘More than 40,000 children have been injured and thousands have lost one or more limbs.’

This will be the third annual commemoration to mark these ongoing atrocities, with organisers estimating last year’s rally was attended by more than 200 people.

Mr Matthews added: ‘Members of the public are invited to join us in this collective act of solidarity and mourning for the loss of so many innocent lives.

‘Even if it’s only for a few minutes, come and show your support along with millions around the world who are demanding that the slaughter has to stop and our political leaders have to now take the actions required under international law.

‘From 6pm to 8pm everyone is invited to join the candlelight phase of the vigil when the final names will be read and there will be some guest speakers and music to end the vigil.

‘Please bring a candle, electric tea light, solar/battery lantern. Even if you have already visited during the day, maybe come back for this concluding part of the vigil.’

The theme of the vigil is a reference to the 2014 poem by Michael Rosen which was written in response to the Israeli government banning a radio advertisement from listing the names of Palestinian children killed in an attack on Gaza that year.

The poem will be read on the hour every hour during the day.

There will also be a display, including part of a bullet-riddled car, to mark the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab and members of her family, along with the paramedics who tried to save her.

Mr Matthews continued: ‘For three hours, Hind was speaking to her mother and the emergency services, waiting for rescuers to arrive.

‘Her final words formed the basis of the award-winning film: “The Voice of Hind Rajab”.

‘As the world is finally been shamed into accepting the true horrors of what has and is happening in Gaza, we appeal to our new government to distance the island from the UK’s complicity in Israeli war crimes and express concern that we are breaching our obligations under international law by default.’