How can I help Palestinians in Gaza? Four things to do right now

A livestream of Israeli attacks on Palestinians in Gaza is broadcast on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook each morning.

Generations are watching unfiltered horror – babies burnt alive, children’s bodies ripped apart, women undergoing amputations without anesthetic.

It is inescapable. This relentless stream of suffering is overwhelming and for many, it sparks a desire for urgent action.

But what can be done from thousands of miles away in the UK? How can one person make a difference in the face of such bloodshed?

Metro.co.uk has gathered some practical things you can do to help people on the ground in Gaza.

Fundraising for families

One of the easiest ways to make a difference is to donate not to established non-profit organisations, but direct to Palestinian families in Gaza.

Operation Olive Branch (OOB) and Project Watermelon are among the most prominent volunteer-led movements that have launched since the beginning of 2024.

They track and maintain publicly accessible spreadsheets where people can pick a family to send money to directly – for evacuation, clothing and medicine. OOB now has more than 800 families on file.

You can either pick a family to donate to, or you can start to raise awareness of the campaign.

Popular TikTok creators have been using their large followings to share and donate to these fundraisers.

Journalist Sanaa Kamal is among the Palestinians who managed to escape Israeli airstrikes on her home in Gaza City with the help of a fundraiser.

The 38-year-old left through the Rafah crossing with Egypt six weeks ago and is now based in Cairo.

It took about $20,000 to get Sanaa, her mother, sister, and one of her brothers across the border, but as many as 25 members of their family remain trapped in the besieged enclave.

Sanaa told Metro.co.uk the money was sent to an Egyptian company that then put their names on the evacuations list.

OOB said that while there are many large aid organisations fundraising for Gaza, the feasibility of that aid being available, or even accessible, to civilians is of ‘great concern to the general public’.

It added: ‘Through the OOB community, we have found that many people who had been asking “what more can I do to help” have found that answer through personally connecting with these families and supporting them directly.

‘Many who choose to participate in the social media community that has formed around this project have built genuine relationships with these families and are fundamentally transformed forever.’ 

E-SIMs

Israel has destroyed the infrastructure needed to access the internet in Gaza and is also blocking access to it. Most of the time, Palestinians are under a total online blackout.

E-SIMs are virtual SIM cards which allow people to connect to the outside world. They have played a major role in the war, allowing civilians to connect with each other and with ambulances.

The Cairo-based non-profit Connecting Humanity has been at the forefront of this campaign.

As many as 300,000 have been donated since the start of the war, but their life-span can be short, lasting from five to 90 days. Many more are needed.

The hashtag #ConnectingGaza has also been used, particularly on X, to highlight the importance of the campaign.

Boycotts

Holding corporations accountable for profiting from Israel’s war on Palestinians has been an important tool.

Starbucks, McDonald’s, KFC and other fast-food chains have seen a drop in sales since October 7, particularly in the Middle East.

For Starbucks, reports of dwindling sales have also hit its share price, and there is no sign of improvement.

In the UK, PureGym customers threatened to boycott the firm after its CEO said he supports selling arms to Israel.

Most recently, Pret A Manger pulled out of plans to open 40 branches in Israel by 2033 after pro-Palestinian campaigners threatened a boycott.

Although the company did not cite the campaigns as a reason for the decision, it was hailed as a victory by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Support Palestinian businesses

Shakeshuka – a Palestinian restaurant in Baker Street, central London – has been hit with death threats since the escalation of the war in 2023.

Owner Haleem Kherellah opened up about the abuse targeting his staff after they started cooking for students protesting outside universities in the capital in the last few weeks.

But he has also hailed the continued support from the pro-Palestinian community.

Haleem said: ‘Especially when we are busy, we receive so much support, so much sympathy, and people say, “please, keep going, if you close we will be upset”.

‘It was the first time in my life when I appreciated the meaning of public support.

‘An English woman came all the way from Brighton just to buy Knafeh. I want people to know that Palestinians have a culture and that we are going to be here forever.

‘We are going to carry on and fly the Palestinian flag. We are not going to disappear.’

When Metro.co.uk visited ShakeShuka last week, it was full of Londoners and tourists alike.

The walls were draped with Palestinian flags and photographs of celebrities who have visited them in the last eight months.

It was evident that dining there not only provides financial stability to the team, but also shows solidarity and contributes to the Palestinian community.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

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