A CAMPAIGNER calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in Kendal town centre has been presented with gifts by fellow protestors as a thank you for her determined campaigning.

Maria Gardner has been peacefully protesting to end the supply of arms and arms components to Israel for the last 50 weeks outside the town hall in Kendal.

She has been horrified by the disproportionate and indiscriminate response to the Hamas attack on October 7 2023 and the rapidly rising civilian death toll in Gaza.

Maria displayed a placard with the message ‘Free the Palestinian Nation’ and has been in Stricklandgate from 11:00 am to 12:00 am every Saturday since.

Over the following weeks, she has been joined by a growing number of campaigners.

On September 28, other peace protesters presented Maria with a card and a bouquet of flowers to thank her for her campaigning efforts.

Philip Gilligan who presented the card on behalf of South Lakeland and Lancaster District, said: “Maria was very quick to see what many more people have come to realise.

“The Netanyahu government in Israel is much more determined to destroy the Palestine’s just cause for nationhood than they are in the release of hostages.

“In particular, the current Israeli government has had no compunction in launching relentless attacks on Gaza which have killed tens of thousands of civilians including at least 15,000 children.

“We are grateful to Maria for her determined opposition to attacks on Palestinians, and we shall continue to join her in saying loudly that ‘it is a long past time when the UK government and others should have ended their complicity in Israel’s despicable actions.’”