2025 marks two years since the events of 7 October in Israel and Gaza. The conflict remains ongoing with casualties continuing to be reported and Hamas and Israel remain in conflict.
Many West Midlands based activists are taking action including 55 year old father of three from Walsall, Sijaad Hussain, who joined Swedish activist Greta Thunberg to try to bring aid to the people of Gaza in September 2025.
The West Midlands Palestinian Solidarity Campaign came together earlier this year to mark the anniversary of October 7th with a collaboration in Birmingham’s “The Friends of the Earth” cafe. Local people, passionate about what is going on in Palestine and Israel, joined a panel with people who have been on the ground in Gaza to get an insight into what is happening and what support is needed.
At the event campaigners, aid workers and local activists spoke about what challenges are happening at the moment, what is being done in the UK and abroad to support Palestinian communities and how grassroots efforts are trying to address the humanitarian crisis.
Additional restrictions on protesters at pro-Palestine events
The British government proscribed Palestine Action as a terrorist group on 5 July 2025 under the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000. Prosecutions made as a result are under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. This is an offence triable only in the magistrates’ court and subject to a maximum sentence of six months’ imprisonment.
This proscription raises serious concerns for many pro-Palestine activists like Birmingham based Adala Khalil, a journalist who has been on the ground in Palestine. Ms Khalil said: “The restriction on Pro Palestine protests is a blatant and disgusting infringement on the freedom of speech that the UK has upheld for so long. It is an embarrassment on the part of the UK government.”
Ms Khalil called this “blatant racism rooted in the stark contrast between the depiction of Ukraine and Palestine reveals the moral failure of modern day journalism.
“There has been an outpouring of solidarity for the Ukraine, urgent headlines and sanctions against perpertrators.
“In contrast, the genocide in Gaza was treated by the media as a mere statistic climbing every day.
“Solidarity with the Palestinians was treated as a political issue rather than a humanitarian one.”
Ms Khalil alleges that whilst filming a documentary in Palestine she was brutally beaten by Israeli settlers on 16 September 2024 who were attacking an elementary school in a small Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank. She claims they “beat me until they broke my arm all while rampaging through the school and beating the children and teachers”.
The Palestinian-born journalist and activist said: “As far as I am concerned nothing, not even the UK government, will stop me from pursuing the truth and spreading it. I am continuing to do so as I am ensuring that no flagrant attempt at silencing the Palestinian narrative will affect my work.”
Raising awareness two years on
The West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign are offering the community an opportunity to learn by attending various events with people who have seen what is going on first hand.
The Chair of the West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Naeem Malik told the meeting: “We are trying to educate people about what is actually happening in Palestine and not just what we are hearing in our media.”
Mr Malik has also been part of a group of individuals boycotting items from big brands like McDonalds and Starbucks that campaigners claim are funding Israeli military forces.
He said: “Palestine needs to be free and Palestinian people need to have the right to self-determination. We should be investing in peace. We should be investing in health, education and in providing people what they need sustenance to be able to live rather than providing bombs to destroy them.”
The flotillas – getting aid into Gaza
The meeting revealed that a recent flotilla in September carried West Midlands-based activists, including Mr Hussain from Walsall. The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) involved more than 50 boats attempting to deliver aid to Palestinians before being intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters.
A Palestinian grassroots activist who asked to remain anonymous said: “The flotilla represents the world’s conscience. Those on the flotilla have shown high levels of frustration and the ability to take action. They are my heroes for recognising an injustice and deciding to act. The treatment they have received is deplorable but there are going to be more flotillas and we are going to have to keep going.”
The activist said he has been working as part of an NGO (non-government organisation) has been on the ground and seen first hand what is happening.
He also said he has been providing food to the people as well as eating with them to get to know them within the community. He said: “The resilience of the Palestinian communities is very close to my heart and has been ever since the new wave of violence has been directed towards them.
“It is very meaningful for me to work with the people who are facing the brunt of the occupation policies. We stand with the Palestinian people on the ground and we try to meet their needs.”
Palestine being recognised as a state by the UK government
On 21 September 2025 Sir Keir Starmer announced that the UK will recognise Palestine as an “independent sovereign state”. This marks a step closer to peace and a two-state solution.
Despite the government recognising Palestine as its own state, many activists like Hala Evans believe there is still a long way to go. At the West Midlands meeting Ms Evans, a Palestinian native and former public health academic said: “For me as a Palestinian it’s a step in the right direction coming too little too late because that should have happened a long time ago but I’m happy that it came. Let them live. Let Gaza live.”
Palestine being independent means the people there could have the legal right to self-determination and sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel since 1967.
The West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign continues its efforts to raise awareness of what is going on in Palestine and speak out about the genocide. You can see their events on their website.