London – A major charity concert called Together for Palestine was held at Wembley Arena. The show was sold out. It brought together artists, actors, and activists from around the world. The aim was to raise funds for humanitarian relief in Gaza and to show solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The event was hosted by British comedian and actor Guz Khan. It opened with Oscar-winning actor Riz Ahmed. He told the audience: “This is what community looks like. These are local voices, but this is global solidarity.” Ahmed reminded people that he grew up in Wembley, which made the moment even more powerful.

Outside the arena, supporters waved large Palestinian flags. Many fans wore shirts, badges, and jackets with pro-Palestine slogans. Inside, organisers announced that donations had already passed half a million pounds. The money will go to Palestinian-led charities, with more expected through online contributions.

Throughout the evening, Palestinian art was displayed on a huge screen. Works by Malak Mattar, a Gaza-born artist who survived several Israeli attacks before leaving in 2023, were shown. Music performances followed. Paloma Faith, Bastille’s Dan Smith, Cat Burns, Elyanna, and Rachel Chinouriri all performed. Palestinian musicians and singers also took part.

Several moving speeches were delivered. One of the most emotional came from Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos. He spoke about his childhood under Nazi rule. He compared his experiences with the suffering of Palestinians today. “I know what it means to be stripped of dignity, of land, of home,” he said. He added that the Palestinian struggle for justice is part of the same cry for humanity he once lived through.

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch also took the stage. He stood with Ruth Negga and playwright Amer Hlehel. Cumberbatch read Mahmoud Darwish’s famous poem On This Land There Are Reasons to Live. His voice shook as he recited the words. Many in the audience were moved to tears.

Journalist Yara Eid gave a tribute to her colleagues. She spoke on behalf of the 270 journalists killed in Gaza. She said her slain friends and mentors had inspired her. Journalist Mehdi Hasan delivered a fiery speech. He criticised Western media for staying silent. “Palestinian journalists are the best of us,” he said. “They are documenting their own annihilation in real time. You cannot bomb the truth away.”

The concert took place only days after a major UN report. The United Nations Commission of Inquiry declared that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. It was the first time any UN body made such a conclusion. The report said Israel had disregarded international law and carried out a “genocidal campaign” for almost two years.

Israel rejected the report. Its foreign ministry called it antisemitic and false. It argued that Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel was itself an act of “attempted genocide.”

At Wembley, the UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese gave a speech. She has faced sanctions from the US government. But the audience gave her a standing ovation. She accused Western governments of complicity, saying they sell weapons to Israel and host its officials while ignoring Palestinian suffering.

Actors Florence Pugh and Richard Gere also addressed the crowd. Pugh said silence in the face of such suffering was “complicity.” She urged people to speak out. Gere, however, faced boos. He suggested that Donald Trump could pressure Israel to stop the violence. Some audience members strongly disagreed with his view.

Later, Paloma Faith sang her song Dangerous World. Her performance was one of the highlights of the evening.

The event was co-organised by musician Brian Eno. He reminded people of how leaders once admitted they were wrong to support apartheid in South Africa. He said maybe, one day, Western leaders would also admit their role in Gaza’s suffering. “If there is a reckoning, it will be because artists, actors, and musicians helped us to see Palestinians as human beings,” he said.

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