I'm Ben, 31, from Leeds, England. In March 2023 I went to Palestine by myself — the oppression there long predates the headlines, and I wanted to see it for myself rather than through a screen. I ate falafel in Ramallah, stood in Bethlehem beneath an apartheid wall, and saw what daily life looks like under occupation, passing through military checkpoints and hearing stories from locals. Every person I spoke to was defiant in the face of oppression. What has been inflicted on these people, and continues to be, is abhorrent — and it's hard to know how to make a difference.

But the Gaza Peace Kitchen are doing something real in the middle of an unimaginable situation. Coordinated by Sue Mather in Ireland, and Dr Hossam in Gaza who personally oversees the distribution of aid, they have been running a critical humanitarian campaign to provide basic meals to a starving population. I was grateful to support a previous campaign, and you can see their work on Instagram: Gaza Peace Kitchen Instagram — all money raised goes directly to them.

To support this effort, I am taking on two challenges over the coming weeks — running the Leeds Marathon on the 10th of May, then on the 6th of June climbing Snowdon (the highest mountain in Wales - 1,085m) three times back-to-back via six different routes: the Snowdon 6.

What follows is hard to read, but please read it. These are facts, not opinions and they don't begin to explain the true extent of what is happening, which is more gruesome and extreme than anything I have covered here. Hold that thought as you read.

The human cost

More women and children were killed in Gaza in a single year than in any other conflict on record — over 6,000 women and 11,000 children. Oxfam & UN Women — Record women and child deaths. Over 28,000 women and girls dead since October 2023 — one every hour. One woman or girl killed every hour Al Jazeera. A BBC World Service investigation found over 160 children shot in the head or chest, with 15 independent doctors documenting 114 further cases consistent with deliberate sniper targeting. Doctors report targeting of children UN OHCHR. Israeli drones have been documented playing recordings of crying babies at night to lure civilians outside, where they are then shot. Drones play crying babies to lure and shoot. The UN concluded that rape and sexual torture of Palestinian detainees is carried out under explicit orders or with the encouragement of Israel's top military leadership. Sexual torture carried out under orders HRW. In March 2026, Israel passed a death penalty law designed to apply almost exclusively to Palestinians — tried under military courts that have no jurisdiction over Israeli settlers. Death penalty law targets Palestinians only

What the world's legal bodies concluded

In September 2025, the UN's Independent Commission of Inquiry found Israel guilty of four out of five acts of genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention, with genocidal intent established from statements made by senior Israeli officials. UN — Israel guilty of 4/5 genocide acts. The UK government concluded no genocide is taking place — a position Amnesty International called a cynical misrepresentation of what the International Court of Justice ruled in 2024. UK government genocide denial.

What our government is doing about it

The RAF has flown 518 surveillance flights over Gaza, sharing intelligence with Israel with no control over how it is used. Declassified UK over 500 RAF spy flights - Gaza. UK companies manufacture 15% of every F-35 dropping 2,000lb bombs on Gaza. UK firms make parts for F-35s used in Gaza. Despite a partial arms suspension, over 8,000 munitions were still exported to Israel in the six months that followed. We are not bystanders. We are participants. 8000 munitions exported despite arms ban.

The press

At least 264 journalists have been killed — more than any government has killed since records began in 1992, and more than the combined total from both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. The CPJ calls it the most deliberate effort to silence journalists ever documented. CPJ — 264 journalists killed a record in history. Deaths exceed both World Wars CPJ. Most deliberate silencing of press ever seen. Israel's campaign has been described as deliberately targeting journalists and their families. Al Jazeera's Gaza bureau chief lost his wife, son, daughter, and grandson in a single airstrike — his eldest son, also a journalist, was killed three months later. Israel has since been reported to have created a dedicated unit to link Palestinian journalists to Hamas in order to justify their killings. Israel targeting journalists and their families

In November 2024, over 100 anonymous BBC staff signed a letter accusing their own corporation of giving Israel favourable coverage and systematically dehumanising Palestinians. If that is the standard at the BBC — what hope for the rest of our media? More than 100 BBC staff accuse corp of bias

What happens if you speak out

The UK designated Palestine Action a terrorist organisation. Over 2,000 people were arrested for holding signs reading "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action" — among them priests, vicars, former magistrates and retired doctors. Middle East Eye - over 2000 arrested. In February 2026, the High Court ruled the ban unlawful, finding it breached the right to free expression under the European Convention on Human Rights. The government is appealing. Palestine Action ban ruled unlawful.

The Gaza Peace Kitchen cannot stop this. But in the face of a government that watches, arms, looks away, and arrests those who don't — the least the rest of us can do is make sure people don't also starve. Please donate what you can. ️✌️