A star-studded fundraising concert for Gaza, titled Together for Palestine, took place at London's Ovo Arena Wembley, featuring 69 artists, speakers and activists. The event, curated by Brian Eno with Palestinian artist Malak Mattar as artistic director, raised funds through ticket sales and online donations, with all tickets selling out within two hours.
The lineup included music stars such as Damon Albarn, Bastille, PinkPantheress, Hot Chip and Neneh Cherry, alongside actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Florence Pugh, Guy Pearce and Ramy Youssef. Other notable participants included former footballer Eric Cantona, presenter Laura Whitmore and YouTuber Amelia Dimoldenberg.
Palestinian voices were central to the evening, with oud player Adnan Joubran, rapper El Far3i and singer Nai Barghouti performing. Journalist Yara Eid spoke about the 270 journalists killed in Gaza, receiving loud cheers. Pianist Faraj Suleiman performed for the 12,500-strong crowd, and Neneh Cherry joined Greentea Peng for a rendition of Seven Seconds.
Outside the arena, a small group of protesters holding Israeli flags faced off against a larger group waving Palestinian flags, but police kept them apart. Inside, the mood was supportive, with the only dissent occurring when Louis Theroux mentioned Israeli violence and was heckled with cries of 'It's genocide.' Benedict Cumberbatch omitted a line about the dead ascending to heaven 'with a smile' during a poetry reading.
The event lasted four hours, with few attendees leaving early. Organisers offered a range of merchandise designed by fashion figures, including T-shirts and keffiyehs. The concert drew comparisons to 1980s benefit events like the GLC Jobs for a Change festival and Artists Against Apartheid's Festival for Freedom.
