I have had enough of watching the news and feeling sad, angry, and helpless, so I’ve decided to do what I can. It won’t be enough, but something is better than nothing. And the people of Gaza and Sheik Jarrah have less than nothing right now – they are literally having their homes bombed and invaded!

I have decided to raise funds for the Medical Aid for Palestinians, and for this I will be running 1km for every adult killed in the latest military assault on Gaza by the Israeli forces (99), and 2km for every child (40). So far, I would already have to run 5km every day for 36 days, and who knows when the Israeli forces will stop?! I know my total will keep climbing, so I will just have to keep running.

Gaza is just 41km long, and a maximum of 12km wide, and yet is home to over 2 Million Palestinians who are being bombed relentlessly, and have been starved of basic resources for decades.

As of March, this year, there were 13 hospitals in Gaza, with a total of fewer than 2,500 beds between them – that's only 1 hospital bed for more than 800people. When there have been more than 900 people injured in Gaza (at the time of writing), and hospitals are being bombed, how is this considered anything other than a war crime?

Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) works for the health and dignity of Palestinians living under occupation and as refugees, in both Gaza and the West Bank...“We provide immediate medical aid to those in great need, while also developing local capacity and skills to ensure the long-term development of the Palestinian healthcare system. MAP is also committed to bearing witness to the injustices caused by occupation, displacement and conflict. Our programmes provide access to essential health services and build local knowledge and skills to address local health problems. In times of humanitarian emergency, we are ready to respond rapidly with aid and assistance. We speak out in the UK and internationally to ensure the political and social barriers to Palestinian health and dignity are addressed.”

The people of Gaza are dependent on MAP for their survival – my wonderful sister has friends in Gaza who have openly said ‘If MAP wasn't there, more than double injuries would have lost their limbs’. How is this being allowed?! And on a personal, perhaps selfish level, why should my sister have to wake up just hoping that her friends are still alive?!

All this information will be outdated by the time you read it. Even in the time it has taken me to write, more Palestinians have been killed, both in Gaza and the West Bank. Israeli forces are using live ammunition on Palestinians protesting in the West Bank. They are bombing schools. They are flying fighter jets over the already terrified and imprisoned people of Gaza, forcing them to hide in UN buildings, hoping they don’t die. They bombed a refugee camp. They are stealing peoples land and lives.

When the people in charge are doing nothing, we must do something. It’s not much, and it will never be enough. But we have to start somewhere if we want a #FreePalestine.

I know the past 12 months haven't been easy for anyone, and I can’t even begin to imagine how hard it’s been for those living under occupation, so if you can't donate right now, I completely understand!! If you could share it with anyone you might think would be interested, that'd also be grand. Thank you so much in advance, as my sister’s friend has said ‘We really really appreciated and it is sooo much needed’.

If you are unable to donate, but still want to show your support for the people of Gaza, visit https://childrenacrossborders.wordpress.com and leave a message to let them know you are thinking of them! 

“When Israelis in the occupied territories now claim that they have to defend themselves, they are defending themselves in the sense that any MILITARY OCCUPIER has to defend itself AGAINST THE POPULATION THEY ARE CRUSHING. You can’t defend yourself when you’re militarily occupying someone else’s land! Call it what you like, IT IS NOT DEFENCE!” -  Noam Chomsky.