'A despicable disgrace': #BobGeldof condemns #Israel over #Gaza hunger

Updated / Friday, 25 Jul 2025

"#LiveAid founder Bob Geldof has condemned the Israeli government's role in the Gaza crisis, calling it 'a despicable disgrace' and saying it is deliberately #StarvingChildren.

" 'Their government is clearly out of control, and their army probably as well… It is a despicable disgrace. And for the Israeli people to allow this in their name is a despicable disgrace,' he told Prime Time.

" 'It is so utterly bizarre that we're talking about #Israel, given the horror of their own past. It is bewildering to me,' he said.

" 'I was the founding patron of the #AegisTrust for #GenocideStudies, which is a branch of the British National #HolocaustMuseum. I spent many times with the survivors of the #Holocaust' he told presenter Miriam O’Callaghan, 'were they alive now? They would possibly die of shame. The shame of this, Miriam, the shame for Israel... This is unconscionable.'

"His comments come amid escalating warnings from UN agencies about catastrophic levels of #starvation in Gaza.

"Earlier, Louise Wateridge, a senior emergency officer with #UNRWA, described the situation on the ground as 'completely unbearable,' with people stepping over bodies at aid centres in desperate searches for food.

"She said more than 6,000 aid trucks - half carrying essential food and medical supplies - are currently blocked just outside Gaza by Israeli restrictions.

"#UNICEF also warned that ongoing bombardment and mass displacement have rendered large parts of Gaza inaccessible for #humanitarian operations, with basic health and nutrition services near collapse.

"Mr Geldof appeared on Prime Time after a report featuring footage and images taken in recent days of #malnourished and hungry children in Gaza.

"In the report, #Oxfam aid worker #BushraKhalidi described the actions of Israel as '#CollectivePunishment,' while #CarolineWilleman of #DoctorWithoutBorders, speaking from northern Gaza, told Prime Time that she had never witnessed anything like what she was seeing currently during her career.

"She described how #Palestinian colleagues who are caring for sick and dying children are themselves unable to feed themselves or their own children.

" 'We are witnessing a #genocide,' Ms Willeman said, 'we are witnessing a genocide because we are witnessing people from whom food is being upheld, from whom water is being upheld.'

" 'It literally is beyond our comprehension. Look at your face, look at the aid workers there,' Mr Geldof said, 'What are we living in? I cannot look at those pictures. Obviously, they remind me of 1984, but in completely different circumstances.'

"Between 1983 and 1985 a major #famine erupted in #Ethiopia as a result of #drought and conflict. Footage in the news media drove Mr Geldof and #MidgeUre to found #BandAid in 1984 to raise funds for #FamineRelief initiatives.

"A year later, Live Aid, a two-event concert performed simultaneously in the UK and US was held. It featured some of the most famous music acts in the world at the time."

https://www.rte.ie/news/primetime/2025/0724/1525255-a-despicable-disgrace-geldof-condemns-israel-over-gaza-hunger/

#GazaSoupKitchen Update on July 23, 2025 by #HaniAlmadhoun, Organizer

"Right now, in #Gaza:

Over 90% of the population faces acute food insecurity

Real children—not statistics—are giving up. Their bodies are shutting down from hunger, and they don’t even know it’s not normal

#Famine isn’t a theory—it’s not in some academic journal. It’s in the streets, in the shelters, in the makeshift tents

Parents are skipping meals so their kids can eat

People are walking 2, 5, 8 miles on foot just for a single scoop of lentils

Many collapse from hunger before ever reaching our kitchens

A doctor told us this week:

> “We’re seeing fewer patients. Not because they’re healing—because they don’t have the strength to walk here.”

Let that sink in.

We operate 11 kitchens across Gaza.
Today, only 5 are functional.
Some are running at just 70% capacity, because food is nearly impossible to find.

We rotate, we stretch, we improvise—just to survive.

Still, our team doesn’t give up. Not now. Not ever.

They source food in a war zone.
They call every contact from 40 years of work in Gaza—
Farmers with hidden plots. Vendors who stash away grains.
Friends who whisper: “Try this alley… there might be rice.”
Every bag of lentils is a mission.
Every scoop of soup is a triumph.

Even grapes became a precious offering this week.
Not because we’re living in luxury—
But because flour wasn’t available, and grapes were.
And because a farmer who dares to grow under war deserves our support.
So we bought the grapes. And we gave them away.
To families who haven’t tasted fruit in months.

Some moments break us.

Like when a child tells us they haven’t eaten in three days—
And still doesn’t make it to the front of the line.

Like when we have to stop delivering meals to hospitals—
Because we couldn’t source enough flour.
Even though doctors are starving.
Even though they’re surrounded by death 24/7.
And even though the lies about them cut deeper than any wound.

But some moments lift us.

Like the way you showed up.
With your donations. Your kindness. Your belief.
That maybe, just maybe, this world can be less cruel if we insist on love.

We want to be honest with you:

Do we need money today? No.
Will we need it next week? Maybe not.
But next month? Without a doubt.

Because every single day is a test of how long we can hold the line.

We want to be Gaza’s last light.
Not flickering in the dark—
But standing tall.

And with your help, we can.

Yes, there are other heartfelt efforts happening across Gaza. We honor them.
But at this scale—11 kitchens, 60+ brave staff, thousands of meals—there is no one doing it quite like this.

Please remember:
You are part of this.
This is your compassion.
Your love.
Your impact—served warm in bowls that nourish not just stomachs, but souls.

With full hearts, tired hands, and unshakable hope,
—The Gaza Soup Kitchen Team"

Donate: https://www.gofundme.com/f/Hot-meals-in-gaza-daily

#NorthGaza #GazaAid #GazaFundraisers #FreePalestine #Fundraisers #FoodIsLife #WaterIsLife #GoFundMe #BeitLahiya #BaitLahiya #KhanYounes #Palestine #Genocide #Starvation #IsraeliWarCrimes #NorthernGaza
Remember #ChefMahmoud
#HumanRightsAreNeverWrong #IsraeliWarCrimes #BibiIsAWarCriminal

via @mason

Repost from #HaniAlmadhoun, Senior Director of Philanthropy at #UNRWA, on LinkedIn:

"My dad shared this story with me today, and I haven’t been able to shake it.

A woman in one of the makeshift camps was seen running from tent to tent, frantic and out of breath. Her husband had slipped into a diabetic coma. She knew what he needed — just something sweet — a spoonful of sugar, a bite of halva, anything. But the war has emptied even the smallest comforts from Gaza’s cupboards.

No one had sugar. No halva. No dates. Nothing.

Even if someone did have sugar, it now costs nearly five dollars a spoonful — a price no one in that camp could afford. Not for a dying man. Not even for a child.

She returned to her tent empty-handed.

Her husband — a man in his late fifties — was gone.

Just like that.

Not from a missile or a bullet. But from something entirely treatable — if only they hadn’t starved Gaza of everything.

Who is responsible for this death?

Israel is.

And here's the grim reality behind the slushies we handed out to children three days ago: they were sweetened with cough syrup. Because that’s the only sugar we could find. A kilo of sugar now costs $100. People are draining the syrup from canned pineapples just to sweeten their tea.

This is what it means to be under blockade and siege — where even sugar is out of reach, and dying from a diabetic coma becomes part of daily life."

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hanifundraiser_my-dad-shared-this-story-with-me-today-activity-7350628795113971712-Mkf6

Donate:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/Hot-meals-in-gaza-daily

#NorthGaza #GazaAid #GazaFundraisers #FreePalestine #Fundraisers #FoodIsLife #WaterIsLife #GoFundMe #BeitLahiya #BaitLahiya #KhanYounes #Palestine #Genocide #Starvation #IsraeliWarCrimes #NorthernGaza
Remember #ChefMahmoud
#HumanRightsAreNeverWrong #IsraeliWarCrimes #BibiIsAWarCriminal

Met warns against supporting proscribed groups ahead of #London #protests

Officers to monitor chants and conduct at #PalestineCoalition and counter-protests in Westminster

Joe Hadden
Friday 18 July 2025

"The Metropolitan Police has warned that anyone showing support for proscribed organisations during planned protests in London this weekend could face arrest under #terrorism laws.

"An increased police presence is expected in Westminster on Saturday when a number of demonstrations are due to take place, including a large-scale march by the Palestine Coalition and a static counter-protest by Stop the Hate.

"The Met said it also anticipates further protest activity in support of the recently proscribed group #PalestineAction, which is now banned under the #TerrorismAct.

"Seventy people were arrested at similar demonstrations in #ParliamentSquare over the past two weekends, and the location of any action this Saturday is yet to be confirmed.

"Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who is leading the policing operation, said officers are experienced in managing events of this nature but warned that those who use the protests as an opportunity to express support for proscribed groups risk serious legal consequences.

" 'This Saturday’s Palestine Coalition protest is the first large-scale event of its kind since the proscription of Palestine Action and I want to make sure the implications of that change in the law are fully understood,' he said.

" 'Nobody will be committing an offence by simply supporting the Palestinian cause, taking part in the march or carrying flags, banners or other signs providing they don’t stray into hate speech or other offences.

" 'However, those who see this as an opportunity to test the limits of the law by expressing support for Palestine Action, whether at a standalone protest or as part of the Palestine Coalition protest, will likely be committing an offence and will very likely be arrested.'

"He added: 'I would urge those people to consider the seriousness of being arrested under the Terrorism Act and the very real long-term implications – from travel, to employment, to finances – that such an arrest is likely to have for their future.'

"Mr Adelekan also said the force is continuing to investigate '#OffensiveChanting' that took place at #GlastonburyFestival and has been repeated at recent protests in London.

"He said officers would assess chants at Saturday’s protest 'based on the specific circumstances' – noting that words shouted generally during the march may not constitute an offence, but could do so if directed at individuals in a way likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

" 'At previous protests, the area between the main march and any counter protest has seen the most heated exchanges. Officers will be particularly alert to conduct, including chanting, in this area and will be working with stewards to ensure crowds keep moving past this point,' he said.

" 'Where they become aware of behaviour that crosses the line from protest into criminality they will intervene and take appropriate action.'

"He said the best way for protesters to stay within the law is to avoid 'threatening, abusive and insulting language' or any support for banned groups. [!!!]

"The Palestine Coalition march will begin at #VictoriaEmbankment and proceed via #WestminsterBridge, #YorkRoad, #WaterlooBridge, #TheStrand, and #Whitehall, where speeches will be held."

Source:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-met-westminster-parliament-square-westminster-bridge-b2791807.html

#ProPalestinian activists rally outside #PortlandME courthouse to support fellow #protesters

Morgan Womack, Portland Press Herald, Maine
Thu, July 10, 2025

Jul. 10—"A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the #CumberlandCountyCourthouse on Thursday morning ahead of a court hearing for their peers who were arrested at a protest in May.

"More than a dozen people rallied with signs and a #PalestinianFlag as 10 people — half of the group that was previously arrested — awaited their arraignments. During their hearings, they each pleaded not guilty to one count of #obstructing a public way. The rest of the group will appear in court at a later date, the protesters said.

"Jamila Levasseur, 70, of #WaldoME, was one of the 20 people arrested in Portland on May 21 after police accused them of blocking the intersection of Commercial and Pearl streets near the U.S. Custom House. She said at the time that she'd be arrested as many times as necessary to bring attention to the widespread #starvation and ongoing #Israeli airstrikes in #Gaza.

"When appearing at the stand, Levasseur told District Court Judge Jed French that she was 'protesting against #genocide in #Gaza' before entering her not-guilty plea. She referenced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin #Netanyahu's recent talks with President Donald #Trump, recognizing their joint strikes on #Iran and discussing plans for a 60-day #ceasefire that would halt Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

" 'Those are the #WarCriminals,' Levasseur said. 'We're not criminals.'

"Levasseur said she couldn't have anticipated that the war would still be going on 21 months after it began. She said she's thankful that a group of attorneys stepped forward to represent the protesters for free, and that the May demonstration in the Old Port attracted a new, larger crowd of supporters.

" 'More and more people are waking up, learning what's going on, horrified, and want to do something,' Levasseur said. 'The people we were arrested with, I didn't even know them all when we were arrested. ... It's not the usual suspects. It's just more ordinary people.'

"Levasseur and #AbigailFuller, 65, of Portland, were also arrested at a February 2024 protest on Franklin Street for obstructing a public way. Their charges in those cases have since been dropped.

"Fuller, who is also a lecturer at the University of Southern Maine, said she felt supported by the group of people outside the courthouse while walking into her arraignment. She pleaded not guilty and also told the judge she was protesting genocide when she was arrested.

" 'It feels good to be starting the process,' Fuller said. 'The Maine courts system takes a really long time, often, to get through, but this is the first step.'

"Fuller said she appreciates seeing new faces at protests, especially as airstrikes and shootings in the #GazaStrip continue, killing people attempting to receive #HumanitarianAid.

" 'Unfortunately, Palestinian deaths are not on the front pages of the newspaper anymore,' Fuller said. 'So, we're trying to keep that in the public eye.' "

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pro-palestinian-activists-rally-outside-224800107.html

#GazaSoupKitchen Update on July 15, 2025 by #HaniAlmadhoun, Organizer

"Dearest allies,

Please know I’ve missed you these last three weeks as I was on the move again. From Boston to San Francisco, from Minneapolis to Sandy, Utah — we talked about #Gaza and the difference we can make in Gaza and for Gaza.

I thought to finally send you an update — long overdue.

#GazaSoupKitchen Update: The Sugar is $100, But Our Spirits Are Free

Dear friends, supporters, and fellow believers in the power of food and love,

We’re back with a dispatch from the heart of the chaos — Gaza. Where prices fluctuate faster than Bitcoin and the “sugar market” is apparently hotter than Wall Street.

True story: sugar in Gaza now costs $100 per kilo. A kilo of flour? That humble pantry staple you can buy in the U.S. for under a dollar? Here, it’s $20.

So how do we keep going?

We invented dynamic budgeting. No joke. Every kitchen’s daily budget shifts based on the price of lentils, pasta, flour, and oil. It’s like running a commodities exchange — but instead of investors, we have uncles with ladles and kids with empty plates. And somehow, we make it work.

We’re now operating 10.5 kitchens (yes, the half counts — it’s part-time but full of heart). These kitchens serve meals daily without fail. Our crew is now 60 strong, with most locations run by a team of six working around the clock, often with little sleep but lots of resolve.

We're also delivering clean water. And our “flexible food” initiative keeps rolling — think falafel wraps one day, fresh mulukhiya leaves the next, and even slushies for the kids. Sweetened not with sugar, but with cough syrup — because cough medicine is one of the few things that still has sugar. That’s where we are now.

Our classroom still runs three times a week, led by our amazing niece Fatema, bringing some structure, joy, and snacks to kids who deserve better than war.

Our medical point is treating up to 85 patients a day, and we send meals to the hospital daily. A warm plate of food might not fix everything, but it can give a parent or child just enough strength to hold on.

But behind every slushie, every lentil pot, there’s pain.

Yesterday, I lost my friend Murad and his entire family. Their tent was bombed. Murad and I went to elementary and middle school together. He was one of the smart kids — we competed for grades. He had a future, a wife, children. Now, nothing. Another bright light extinguished in a place full of ghosts.

And there’s another story that won’t leave me — a Palestinian woman sprinting through the camp in a panic, trying to find a spoonful of sugar for her husband who had slipped into a diabetic coma. She knocked on every tent. Nothing — no dates, no candy, no halva. She returned after 15 minutes to find him gone. He didn’t die from a bomb. He died from the blockade. From cruelty masked as policy.

Now people sweeten tea with canned pineapple syrup. That’s what survival looks like.

Still — we go on. Most of our operations focus on the west of Gaza, where nearly a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. And we continue to show up. Even when the fire under the stove isn’t just metaphorical.

We’re hearing that more aid may enter Gaza by Thursday. If it does, prices could drop — even if just a little. That’s what hope looks like now: praying sugar costs less than gold.

We’re also speaking out — engaging the media, pushing back against disinformation, and confronting bad actors like the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. We will not rest until the people responsible for this suffering are held accountable.

We’ve never stopped. Not for a day. Not when we were displaced. Not when flour disappeared. Not when the skies rumbled.

---

And now, a call to action — from one human to another:

If you have the capacity to give, please consider sending a gift. No amount is too small when you're being starved. Your generosity helps us keep cooking, keep serving, and keep hope alive — one meal at a time.

Thank you for taking action for Gaza. And thank you for standing with us — and with organizations like #UNRWA, who continue to do critical, life-saving work in Gaza while under constant attack.

Your love and care are felt here every single day.

With sorrow, hope, and slushies made of cough syrup,

The Gaza Soup Kitchen Team

---

P.S. If you received an email from GoFundMe showing an incorrect donation amount, please know there's a glitch in their system and we’re working to fix it. Thank you for your patience — and for staying engaged."

Donate: https://www.gofundme.com/f/Hot-meals-in-gaza-daily

#NorthGaza #GazaAid #GazaFundraisers #FreePalestine #Fundraisers #FoodIsLife #WaterIsLife #GoFundMe #BeitLahiya #BaitLahiya #KhanYounes #Palestine #Genocide #Starvation #IsraeliWarCrimes #NorthernGaza
Remember #ChefMahmoud
#HumanRightsAreNeverWrong #IsraeliWarCrimes #BibiIsAWarCriminal

#Bipartisan Group of Senators Meets With #Netanyahu Despite #ICC Arrest Warrant

Pictures show Democrats like #ChuckSchumer standing next to Netanyahu, smiling.

By Sharon Zhang, Truthout
July 11, 2025

"A bipartisan group of senators representing an eighth of the Senate posed for photos and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the U.S. this week, sparking criticism over senators’ smiles next to a man wanted in the Hague for alleged war crimes in #Gaza.

"Netanyahu met with senators on Wednesday, with leaders for both parties, Senators #JohnThune (R-South Dakota) and Chuck Schumer (D-New York) in attendance. Lawmakers proudly posted photos of the meeting, saying that they discussed the genocide in Gaza and praised Israel and the U.S.’s war on Iran during the meeting.

"Netanyahu also met with House Speaker #MikeJohnson (R-Louisiana), the latter of whom said in a post on social media that the two 'discussed America’s commitment to Israel’s security and our shared goal of achieving a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.'

"Pictures of the Senate meeting also showed Senators #CoryBooker (D-New Jersey), #MariaCantwell (D-Washington), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), #ChrisCoons (D-Delaware), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), #AmyKlobuchar (D-Minnesota), Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), #JackyRosen (D-Nevada), and #AdamSchiff (D-California).

"The lawmakers posed next to a table set with food and drinks. Sen. #TedCruz (R-Texas), who has already drawn criticism for being on vacation in Greece amid the devastating floods in his state last week, was also at the meeting.

"Lawmakers have drawn criticism for meeting with Netanyahu as his government moves toward expelling all #Palestinians from #Gaza, through death or force. Earlier this week, Netanyahu’s Defense Minister, #IsraelKatz, told reporters that he has instructed the military to plan for confining all Palestinians in Gaza into a camp where they won’t be allowed to leave — a plan likened to #ConcentrationCamps by advocates for #PalestinianRights.

" 'Yesterday these Senators took part in a photo-op with Netanyahu, who is wanted for war crimes. Shameful,' wrote the Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project in a post on social media.

" '#Genocide is #bipartisan,' said Rep. #RashidaTlaib (D-Michigan).

" 'In a just world, every one of these Democratic senators would be primaried — especially the hypocritical Cory Booker who is wisely trying to hide his face in this picture,' said Zeteo Editor-in-Chief Mehdi Hasan. Indeed, Booker and Klobuchar are standing behind other senators in photos posted online.

"The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for the arrest of Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister #YoavGallant in November. But both officials have since visited the White House, under both the Trump and Biden administrations, with U.S. officials purposefully defying the Hague.

"In fact, earlier this week, the U.S. State Department threatened the ICC in a UN meeting ahead of Netanyahu’s visit, demanding that it drop the charges against Netanyahu and Gallant and terminate 'all investigations and all arrest warrants' against Israel.

"Netanyahu met with President Donald #Trump this week to discuss a proposal for a temporary ceasefire deal in Gaza. However, despite agreement from both parties on the objectives of the genocide, Netanyahu left Washington without the parties announcing a deal. Netanyahu has been accused numerous times of purposely sabotaging ceasefire talks in order to prolong the genocide and stay in power."

https://truthout.org/articles/bipartisan-group-of-senators-meets-with-netanyahu-despite-icc-arrest-warrant/