Protestors have scaled the roof of the Scottish Parliament and hung a banner calling for the UK Government to stop providing arms to Israel.

Shortly after 10am on Thursday, the group took to the roof of the Edinburgh building and unfurled a banner reading "Scotland: Stop Arming Israel".

It comes as the Scottish Green Party also called for a halt to arms sales to Israel and an investigation into whether UK-made weapons have been "used in war crimes by Israeli forces".

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Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade ( CAAT ) said: “The UK Government has a long and shameful history of political and military support for Israel forces.

"The Scottish Government has taken a far stronger and more humanitarian line than Downing Street, which is one reason why it is so shocking that it continues to offer subsidies and support to companies that are fuelling the repression and abuse of Palestinians."

Several protestors are handing out flyers to those entering and leaving the Scottish Parliament building and to members of the public.

The flyers at the Scottish Parliament read: “What good are humanitarian appeals when Scotland makes the bombs?”

A Scottish Parliament spokesperson confirmed the incident is underway.

He said: "Protestors have gained access to the roof and unfurled a banner.

"Police Scotland are in attendance.

"There is no disruption to Parliament business and public access to the building is unaffected.”

Protestor Jamie McGuire said: “Components of weapons being used in Gaza by Israel are made right here in Scotland – on the Clyde, in Edinburgh and in Fife.

"Humza Yousaf calls for a ceasefire but takes no action to curtail the arms industry on our doorstep.

"We know that Scottish Enterprise gives Scotland's public money to arms manufacturers, some of whom are implicated this in this genocide.

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"We are occupying the Scottish Parliament to say enough is enough: Scotland: Stop Arming Israel.”

UK government statistics, compiled by CAAT, show that in the last 10 years the UK has licensed at least £486 million worth of arms to Israel.

Separate to the CAAT protest at the parliament, Scottish Greens external affairs spokesperson, Ross Greer MSP, called for an immediate ceasefire to the Israel Hamas conflict.

He said: “The bombardment of Gaza has already killed thousands of Palestinian children and caused immense suffering for two million people.

"It is collective punishment, a war crime committed in full view of the world. Palestinians are purposefully being deprived of food, water and electricity.

"By arming and supporting this destruction, the UK has made itself utterly complicit in the mounting death toll.

"The bombs must stop and so must the brutal 17-year long siege of Gaza.

"Palestinians cannot be made to suffer for the awful crimes of Hamas.

"If the UK Government has any care or concern for the rights and lives of Palestinians it must immediately stop all arms sales to Israel, launch a review into whether previously supplied arms were used to commit war crimes and push for an immediate ceasefire."

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "We are aware of the protest and officers are in attendance."