A protest was held in Vavuniya on Saturday demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza and an end to the military offensive that has seen over 4,000 children killed so far.
The demonstration, organised by the Mass Movement for Social Justice (MMSJ), also criticised US support of Israel, and highlighted the severe impact of the Israeli invasion on Gaza's civilian infrastructure, including the destruction of hospitals, schools, and humanitarian aid corridors.
Read more:
UN Experts call for the prevention of Genocide in Gaza as hospitals and schools are bombed
Israel cuts food, water and electricity supply to Gaza as bombardment continues
Sri Lanka's migrant workers would rather stay in Israel than return home
The demonstrators pointed to US military aid to Israel as a significant factor in the ongoing violence against Palestinian civilians, suggesting that the U.S. motives are economic, rooted in the arms trade rather than peace. They called this an indirect but clear contribution to the conflict's escalation.
Protestors also demanded recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state, criticizing US foreign policy and demanding a shift towards supporting Palestinian self-governance and autonomy.
The MMSJ used the event to express solidarity with the global condemnation of violence in Palestine and to insist on an end to military aggression.