London group raises over £41,000 for Gaza at 10th annual iftar

Key points

• The Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) says it has raised more than £41,000 in support of people in Gaza at its tenth annual iftar in London.
• The fundraising iftar took place on Saturday 28 February 2026 at Byron Hall in north-west London, according to event publicity.
• Families and students from Gaza were invited as guests of honour, PFB promotional material stated.
• The funds are intended to support humanitarian relief for civilians in Gaza amid the continuing humanitarian crisis there.
• The event forms part of a wider pattern of Palestine-focused organising by PFB, which has also helped coordinate large marches in London.
• PFB promoted the iftar through social media and community networks, positioning it as a solidarity gathering during Ramadan.
• The scale of donations highlights ongoing public engagement in the UK with fundraising and advocacy linked to the situation in Gaza.

Fundraiser in London exceeds £41,000 target for Gaza

The Palestinian Forum in Britain has announced that its tenth annual iftar in London raised more than £41,000 to support people in Gaza, in an event that drew community members, supporters and invited guests from Gaza itself. The gathering, held at Byron Hall on 28 February 2026, was billed as a Ramadan fundraiser and solidarity evening focused on humanitarian needs in the besieged territory.

According to announcements shared by the organisation on social media, the total exceeded £41,000 in donations and pledges collected during the night. This figure could not be independently verified. The group has not publicly released a detailed breakdown of contributions or disbursement plans.

Who organised the event and where it was held

The iftar was organised by the Palestinian Forum in Britain, a UK-based organisation that has been involved in community events and demonstrations related to Palestine. Promotional materials described the gathering as the forum’s tenth annual iftar in London, indicating a regular Ramadan fixture in its calendar.

Publicity for the event stated that it would be held at Byron Hall, a large venue in north-west London used for community and cultural events. The date was given as Saturday 28 February 2026, coinciding with the early days of Ramadan and aligning with the forum’s focus on evening communal meals to mark the fast.

Guests of honour and programme focus

In a statement shared on Instagram, the Palestinian Forum in Britain said that families and students from Gaza would attend the iftar as guests of honour. The post framed their presence as a central part of the evening, intended to highlight personal experiences of life in Gaza and to connect UK-based supporters with people directly affected by the conflict.

The organisation’s social media material also emphasised that the event was not only a religious gathering but a fundraiser for humanitarian relief. It promoted the iftar as an opportunity for attendees to contribute financially to aid efforts while breaking the fast together and listening to speeches and reflections related to Gaza.

How the money was raised and what it is for

PFB reported that “more than £41,000” was raised through donations linked to the iftar, including contributions from attendees and supporters. The precise mechanisms for collection, such as auctions, direct appeals or online giving, were not detailed in the available public statements. This information could not be independently verified.

According to the organisation’s public messaging, the money is intended to support “the people of Gaza”, a phrase commonly used by charities and advocacy groups to refer to humanitarian assistance such as food, medical aid, housing support and educational needs for civilians. No formal partner organisations, implementing agencies or specific projects were identified in the brief summaries shared on social platforms.

Gaza context and UK-based solidarity efforts

The fundraiser took place against the backdrop of a prolonged humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where international agencies have repeatedly warned of shortages of food, medical supplies and essential services. In recent years, London has seen large demonstrations and solidarity events calling for an end to the conflict and for increased support to civilians in the territory.

According to Middle East Monitor reporting on previous mobilisations, the Palestinian Forum in Britain has been among the groups that helped organise major marches in the UK capital in response to developments in Gaza and wider Palestinian issues. These activities have included protests attracting tens of thousands of participants, alongside smaller community events and educational programmes.

Role of the Palestinian Forum in Britain

The Palestinian Forum in Britain describes itself, in public-facing material, as a community organisation representing Palestinians and supporters in the UK. It has been involved in coordinating demonstrations, producing statements on developments in Palestine and Gaza, and facilitating public events including conferences and cultural programmes.

In addition to street protests, the forum has used Ramadan iftars as opportunities to raise funds and awareness. Social media posts promoting the 2026 event highlighted both its religious and community dimensions, as well as its fundraising goals for Gaza. While the group publishes broad aims and activities, detailed governance and financial reporting are generally provided, where applicable, through standard UK regulatory channels rather than in event publicity.

Community engagement and messaging

Promotional reels and posts on Instagram and X invited the public to “join us for a blessed evening” at the 10th Annual Iftar, with details of the date, location and ticket prices. The communications featured branding of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, Arabic and English text, and references to Ramadan.

The social media posts framed the iftar as both a religious observance and a solidarity initiative, positioning participation as a way to support Gaza through donations and presence. This reflects a wider pattern in which UK-based organisations link faith-based gatherings to humanitarian appeals, particularly during Ramadan when charitable giving is often emphasised.

Links to wider mobilisation around Palestine

The London iftar fundraiser sits within a broader landscape of UK civil society responses to developments in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories. Media coverage has documented large marches in the capital, coordinated by coalitions including the Palestinian Forum in Britain, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Friends of Al-Aqsa, the Muslim Association of Britain and other groups.

According to earlier reports by Middle East Monitor, these demonstrations have combined calls for a ceasefire or end to military operations with demands for changes in British foreign policy and accountability under international law. The iftar’s fundraising focus, by contrast, centres on humanitarian relief rather than direct political lobbying, though it is framed within a context of solidarity with Gaza’s civilian population.

Verification, transparency and legal context

At the time of writing, independent verification of the total amount raised at the iftar, the identity of all beneficiaries and the exact channels through which funds will be distributed is not publicly available. This information could not be independently verified. As with any fundraising effort related to overseas humanitarian causes, UK organisers are expected to comply with charity law, financial reporting obligations and relevant regulations on funds transfers to conflict-affected areas.

The Palestinian Forum in Britain has not, in its publicly accessible promotional material for this specific event, detailed the full compliance framework, due diligence or partner organisations involved in moving funds to Gaza. In general, UK-based groups sending money to regions under sanctions or conflict conditions are required to ensure that funds do not breach anti-terrorism legislation or international sanctions regimes.

Public perception and community impact

Events of this nature can serve several functions for participants: they provide a space for religious observance during Ramadan, offer a forum for hearing directly from people connected to Gaza, and enable financial contributions to humanitarian efforts. They also form part of ongoing conversations within British communities about the UK’s role in international crises and about avenues for civic engagement.

While supporters may view such fundraisers as an important expression of solidarity, others may raise questions about transparency, oversight and the ultimate destination of funds raised in the UK for overseas causes. Publicly available material linked to the 2026 iftar focuses primarily on the headline donation figure and the symbolic presence of guests of honour from Gaza, rather than detailed reporting on financial governance.

What happens next

Further information on how the more than £41,000 raised will be allocated, including named partner organisations and specific projects in Gaza, may emerge in future statements or reports from the Palestinian Forum in Britain. Any disbursement of funds will take place within a changing humanitarian and political landscape in Gaza, which continues to attract attention from international agencies and UK-based groups.

If the forum continues its pattern of annual Ramadan events and involvement in public demonstrations, additional fundraising and awareness campaigns linked to Gaza and Palestine are likely in the months and years ahead. Regulatory bodies and donors may also seek further detail on compliance measures, in line with standard expectations for UK-based organisations supporting humanitarian work overseas.