More than 12,000 people filled London’s Wembley Arena on Wednesday night, September 17, as “Together for Palestine,” became the UK’s largest fundraising concert for Gaza.
The five-hour event brought together over 60 international artists, actors, and cultural figures, combining music, film, and activism to support Palestinians amid the escalating humanitarian crisis.
Organisers announced the concert had raised British pounds 1.5 million for Palestinian-led charities, including the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, and Taawon, according to media reports.
Executive produced by legendary musician Brian Eno, the concert featured performances from Paul Weller, Damon Albarn, Portishead, Jamie xx, James Blake, Bastille, PinkPantheress, and Nadine Shah. Palestinian artists Elyanna, Saint Levant, El Far3i, and DJ Sama’ Abdulhadi also took centre stage, while the set showcased works by Palestinian painters who had lost their lives in recent air strikes.
Actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Florence Pugh, Richard Gere, Riz Ahmed, and Nicola Coughlan joined cultural figures including Eric Cantona, Jameela Jamil, and journalist Mehdi Hasan.
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese received a standing ovation as she addressed the audience, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank.
A pre-recorded video before the concert featured Cillian Murphy, Joaquin Phoenix, Brian Cox, Billie Eilish, and Finneas, calling for an immediate ceasefire and urging the audience to pressure their governments to act.
Comedian Guz Khan, who hosted the evening, said,“When you see kids in Gaza facing bombs instead of books, silence isn’t an option. This concert is about solidarity, love, and justice.”
Brian Eno emphasised that the event was about more than fundraising, “Every penny donated will go to Palestinian partners through Choose Love. But this is about more than money. It’s about sending love and solidarity, showing Palestine has not been forgotten.”
The evening featured powerful speeches from performers and activists. Florence Pugh told the crowd,“Silence in the face of such suffering is not neutrality. It is complicity. Empathy should not be this hard.”
Eric Cantona urged FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel from international football competitions.
Mehdi Hasan drew massive applause when he condemned the silence of Western media, “We have been lied to, manipulated, misled, gaslit. Shame on those Western journalists who have said nothing about the mass killing of their Palestinian counterparts. The Palestinian journalists are the best of us. They are documenting not just a war, or a genocide, but their own annihilation and starvation in real time. They have shown the world that you cannot bomb the truth away.”
Charithra Chandran spoke together on stage, with the musician urging the audience, “Neutrality or silence shouldn’t be an option. Give Palestine your voice. And when your voice goes hoarse, hang your flags. Wear your keffiyeh. Show them we are here.”
Palestinian journalist Yara Eid addressed the crowd directly, highlighting the dangers faced by media workers in Gaza: “Over 270 journalists have been killed since October 2023. We report at great risk, but our voices cannot be silenced. The world must see the truth.”
The concert concluded with a moving performance by Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna, accompanied by her brother on piano. The song, composed by her mother, captured the night’s themes of resilience, unity, and hope, leaving many in tears.
The fundraiser comes as Israeli forces intensify ground operations in Gaza City, with UN agencies warning of famine, mass displacement, and the collapse of medical services. Gaza’s health ministry reports that more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.
