Anti-war demonstrators gathered outside a military defence site in Kent to protest against the war in Palestine.

They descended on BAE Systems in Marconi Way, Rochester, and have been holding banners and chanting outside since 6.30am.

The protesters blocked two entrances as part of an international day of action calling for an end to what they say is “complicity in Israel’s war crimes”.

BAE, an aerospace and security company, is one of the county’s biggest employers and tests and assembles electronic equipment used on military aircraft and in surveillance systems at its factory in Medway, which is classed as a Ministry of Defence site.

This morning’s blockade has been organised by Pro-Palestinian trade unionists.

The group, which consists of health workers, teachers and hospitality workers, is demanding an immediate ceasefire to halt the killing of civilians in Palestine and an end to arms sales to Israel.

It claims BAE produces a significant portion of Israel's F-35 stealth combat aircraft - the world's most advanced fighter jet currently being used by Israel to bombard Gaza.

BAE, Britain’s biggest defence contractor, says it does not directly export any equipment to Israel, but the group is a tier-one supplier on the United States-made F-35 fighter jets which are flown by Israel.

"We're horrified by the situation in Israel and Gaza and the devastating impact it's having on civilians in the region and we hope it can be resolved as soon as possible," a BAE spokesperson said.

"We respect everyone's right to protest peacefully. We operate under the tightest regulation and comply fully with all applicable defence export controls, which are subject to ongoing assessment."

A police spokesman confirmed officers are at the scene, with two patrol cars in attendance.

At one entrance, the group chanted slogans such as “1,2,3,4, occupation no more; 5,6,7,8, Israel is a terrorist state”, and: “BAE must be stopped, no more bombs must be dropped.”

Harriet, 32, an A&E worker from east London, arrived outside the factory at about 6.30am.

She told KentOnline: “We are seeing hospitals not only caught in the crossfire but being actively targeted. We are seeing ambulances that are transporting patients between hospitals then being targeted by the Israeli military. The paramedics die, the ambulance is lost and the patient dies.

“This is our power as people. Your power is your voice and direct action like this when you physically stop deliveries getting in and out to an arms factory is what we can do. We are asking staff to leave and they are listening and they are going home.

“This is a day of work that this factory has lost.”

Alexandra, a teacher and trade union member taking part in this morning’s blockade, said: "I'm joining this blockade today because it's impossible to stand by and watch as our government supports Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza, including with arms from this very factory.

"As a teacher, seeing 185 schools and other educational institutions in Gaza bombed is utterly heartbreaking.

“If our government and the Labour opposition won’t support a ceasefire, as workers we will continue to take action to stop the slaughter of civilians in our name, funded by our taxes.

She added: “We're here today to disrupt the Israeli war machine and take a stand against our government's complicity and we urge workers across the UK to take similar action in their workplaces and communities."

Amelia Horgan, 30, had travelled down from London to be a part of the protest.

She said: “We are out here today to try and disrupt the Israeli war machine.

“We have come to throw a wrench in the war machine. If the government is not listening we are not going to wait until they grow a conscience, we are just going to keep protesting until they do.”

Lots of people are moved by the scenes they are seeing and the horrors in Gaza.

Lukas Slothuus, 33, had also come from London, after witnessing first-hand the atrocities in Palestine more than a decade ago.

He said: “It was very shocking what I saw and it is etched on my mind to this very day.

“The brutal treatment of Palestinians, the militarisation, checkpoints, suffocation of the occupation. Even children can’t get to school.

“There is so much violence there on the part of the Israeli military in order to try to keep the Palestinians oppressed. I saw it with my own eyes.

“I had an idea of what it would be like when I went but it was unfortunately much worse than I could even have imagined. Seeing teenage boys arrested for no reason, having machine guns pointed in my face. It’s a real travesty.

“Even if what we can do in Britain is just a small part then I think we have a duty to do that.”

Zad had also come down from London to show her support and was pleased the actions of protesters had stopped one day of production at the factory.

She said: “We are here today to stop an arms factory from producing the bombs that are currently killing and have already killed 10,000 people in Gaza. Half of these people are children.

“We are here because we believe in the value of human life. Any one bomb we stop from being produced today, that’s a life that is saved.

“It is up to us as citizens to say no we don’t think it’s right to kill people. In Gaza, 50 per cent of houses have been destroyed. Can you imagine what that would be like in your city? 4,000 children have been killed. One primary school in the UK is 200 children. How many primary schools is that?”

Today's action takes place amid a wave of similar protests across the UK demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Both Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader of the opposition Keir Starmer have been pushed by pressure groups to back a ceasefire but neither has backed the calls.

Mr Sunak said “specific pauses” are necessary for humanitarian purposes as Israel pummels the small strip of land, which is home to more than two million Palestinians.

But he has stopped short of backing a ceasefire, arguing the move would “only serve to benefit Hamas”.

Meanwhile, more than 500,000 people are expected at a march through Whitehall in central London tomorrow demanding an end to Israeli military action in Gaza.

It has caused controversy as it coincides with the Remembrance events and the anniversary of the end of World War One, prompting fears that counter-protesters could also descend on the capital.