UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Monday 23 June at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please contact ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting. National Demonstration for Palestine Saturday 21 June – assemble at 12 noon in Russell Square – End the Genocide – Stop Arming Israel – Stop Starving Gaza The protest aims to mobilise public pressure on the UK government to take concrete action. https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-demonstration-21-june-25/ The UK-Palestine Mental Health Network banner will be at the march. All are welcome to join us. We will meet at 12:00 noon at: Bloomsbury Square Gardens, London WC1A 2PJ This is the same location where we have assembled for previous marches from Russell Square. Hold the date Cafe Palestine – Listening to Gaza Saturday 12 July at 11:00 (UK time) More details to follow New activist web pages UKPALMHN is pleased to announce that we are now hosting web pages for four allied mental health groups on our website. There are two allied mental health groups already on our website and two new ones. The two, new allied mental health groups that now have web pages on our site are: FAMILY THERAPISTS FOR PALESTINE This is a safe space for those supporting Palestine and resisting the dehumanisation, apartheid, colonisation and genocide to which Palestinians are subjected. Family Therapists for Palestine welcomes new members. Please contact Gwyn Daniel (danielgwyn@gmail.com). https://ukpalmhn.com/family-therapists-for-palestine/ Summary of June 2025 update from Family Therapists for Palestine: Family Therapists for Palestine: amplifying voices and shaping change Family Therapists for Palestine are bringing critical conversations to major conferences this year, with members presenting innovative workshops at both the AFT in Brighton and EFTA in Lyon. From exploring the political dimensions of therapy to advocating for refugee youth and amplifying unheard Palestinian voices, their sessions promise thought-provoking and impactful dialogue. Meanwhile, the group is actively working to expand the ethical commitments of family therapy associations, advocating for a stronger stance on equity, social justice, and human rights. Learn more about their inspiring efforts and upcoming events. The full text of the most recent update and further information about the group can be found on this page: https://ukpalmhn.com/family-therapists-for-palestine/ PSYCHIATRISTS FOR PALESTINE The group was set up in Apr 2025 and currently has a mailing list of about 60 members. Our aims are to:Promote mental health in Palestine within the frameworks of medical ethics, social justice and Human RightsProvide a platform for solidarity and mutual support and learning with psychiatrists and mental health practitioners in PalestineThe work of the group is structured around 4 working groups:Build relationships and networksPartner for education and trainingSupport clinicians and clinical workOrganise for advocacy and influenceThis is overseen by a steering committee, and we meet regularly to review and develop our work.. We invite UK-based psychiatrists to join our group. To contact us, please email: psychiatrists4palestine@gmail.com Find more information on this page: https://ukpalmhn.com/psychiatrists-4-palestine/ The existing allied mental health groups on our site are: CHILD PSYCHOTHERAPISTS FOR PALESTINE Summary of June 2025 update from Child Psychotherapists for Palestine: Child psychotherapists speak out for Gaza’s children Child psychotherapists across the UK are standing in solidarity with colleagues and families in Gaza and the West Bank. They are offering clinical support, sharing expertise, and urging professional bodies to condemn the deliberate targeting of children. A moving new slide deck for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week has been produced, alongside active contributions to public awareness and parliamentary advocacy. The full text of the most recent update and further information about the group can be found on this page: https://ukpalmhn.com/family-therapists-for-palestine/ Other resources from June 2025 Powerful new slide deck for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2025: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/infant-mental-health-awareness-week-2025-slides/ Child Psychotherapists for Palestine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palestineukchildpsychotherapy/ Adam Goren, child psychotherapist, speaking on a recent Radio Voice of Islam podcast about the effects on children of the war on Gaza: https://soundcloud.com/voislam/weekend-world-podcast-08-06-2025-israel-war-on-gaza-a-war-on-children Email: to contact Child Psychotherapists for Palestine, please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com More information and recent update about the work of the network: https://ukpalmhn.com/child-psychotherapists-for-palestine/ PSYCHOANALYTIC VOICES FOR PALESTINE The group was formed by a group of psychoanalytic clinicians, current or former registrants of the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC), who signed a Statement in January 2024 entitled ‘A Call for Psychoanalytic Professionals to address the human catastrophe in Gaza’. Summary of June 2025 update from :Psychoanalytic Voices for Palestine: Psychoanalytic Voices for Palestine: fostering dialogue and action Psychoanalytic Voices for Palestine (PVP) continues to provide mutual support and collective advocacy, helping members speak out within their professional associations and beyond. Their recent conference on Palestine, Racism, and the Ethical Challenges Facing Psychoanalytic Practitioners drew over 300 participants and raised funds for Medical Aid for Palestine. PVP is now seeking to build dialogue with other UK mental health professionals, exploring how the sector can develop a united, principled response to genocide and human rights violations. The full text of the most recent update and plans for future action can be found on this page: https://ukpalmhn.com/pvp/further-action-and-future-events/ Further information about the group can be found on this page: https://ukpalmhn.com/pvp/ If you are a current or former member of the BPC and would like to join the group, please email us at pav4pal@gmail.com Other resources from June 2025 The dialogue with other mental health professionals could take inspiration from the work/approach of Doctors against Genocide (DAG) in emphasising our duty as mental health workers to act to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity, in promoting a health perspective on the definition and impact of genocide, and on developing mechanisms by which we might be enabled to speak out. Here are links to DAG resources that could provide useful templates. Medical definition of Genocide: https://doctorsagainstgenocide.org/medical-genocide-def Report submitted to the UN on ”Healthcare workers as human rights defenders” https://doctorsagainstgenocide.org/genocide-un-health-report “End Genocide Prescription” https://doctorsagainstgenocide.org/end-genocide-prescription UKPALMHN aims to amplify Palestinian voices and to promote mental health related networking and actions in supporting justice for Palestinians. If you would like to promote your work in this newsletter than please write to: ukpalmhn@gmail.com ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page. In the past 4 weeks we have added 9 new, relevant actions to our Action page. https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTION

Further information: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/fast-for-gaza/

Unexplained diseases spread among Gaza’s children amid genocide
Source: The New Arab
Date: 11 June 2025
Gaza’s children are suffering from panic attacks, hair whitening, vitiligo, paralysis, and other conditions likely tied to severe trauma under genocide.
https://www.newarab.com/features/unexplained-diseases-spread-among-gazas-children-amid-genocide

Genocide in Gaza: moral and ethical failures of medical institutions
Source: The Lancet (Correspondence)
Date: 13 June
The correspondence critically examines the collapse of Gaza’s medical institutions and reproductive-health infrastructure under siege.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)01173-0/fulltext

Israel’s war on reproduction in Gaza
Source: MERIP
Date: 11 June
The analysis highlights repeated strikes on hospitals, fertility clinics, maternity wards, and other reproductive-health facilities in Gaza since October 2023.
https://merip.org/2025/06/israels-war-on-reproduction-in-gaza/

Israel guilty of ‘extermination’ in attacks on schools, mosques: UN
Source: Al Jazeera
Date: 10 June 2025
An independent UN commission finds that Israel’s strikes on schools and mosques harboring civilians may amount to the crime against humanity of “extermination.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/10/israel-guilty-of-extermination-in-attacks-on-schools-mosques-un

77 Years of Ongoing Nakba (2 hour recording of webinar)
Source: Palestine-Global and Chile-Palestine Mental Health Networks
Date: 30 May
The event marked 77 years of the ongoing Nakba—a catastrophe that began long before 1948 and continues relentlessly today. Our people in Gaza endure starvation and bombardment, a genocide livestreamed to a world silent in complicity. Meanwhile, our loved ones in the West Bank and East Jerusalem face daily oppression and unlawful annexation, crimes met consistently by international silence.Yet, despite this profound injustice, we refuse passivity. United, we uplift our collective struggle and remain steadfast in demanding justice, dignity, and freedom for every Palestinian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U-g28AA2tA

EVENTS

Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 18 June, there are 14 up to date events listed.
https://ukpalmhn.com/events/

FEATURED EVENT

The Dramatic Events Unfolding in the Middle East
Wednesday 25 June at 6pm (UK time)
Organised by the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions. In this webinar, Mouin Rabbani, a leading Palestinian researcher, analyst and writer, and Abdel Takriti, whose research focuses on the history of revolutions and state-building in the modern Middle East, engage with Jeff Halper, the Director of ICAHD, in a wide-ranging discussion on where the region is headed.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Ix9qgLHZTaaOQh0LlAyvbQ

BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)

A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).

”Tell the Co-op to stop selling Israeli goods
Last month, the Co-op’s AGM voted overwhelmingly for a motion to “cease all trading with Israel” and to take “all Israeli products off the shelves”. The Co-op’s leadership must implement this motion by ending the sale of Israeli goods in Co-op stores. Write to the Co-op’s leadership to call for the motion to be implemented without delay.
https://palestinecampaign.eaction.online/coop

We are doing this because no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying, because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. Greta Thunberg UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Monday 16 June at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. We apologise for the technical difficulty at the last Solidarity Space meeting which was due to a one-off cause. Thanks are due to the acting chair for dealing with this issue as as well as possible in the circumstances. We anticipate that future meetings will run smoothly.  Please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting. National Demonstration for Palestine Saturday 21 June – assemble at 12 noon in Russell Square End the Genocide – Stop Arming Israel – Stop Starving Gaza The protest aims to mobilise public pressure on the UK government to take concrete action. https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-demonstration-21-june-25/ Hold the date Cafe Palestine – Listening to Gaza Saturday 12 July at 11:00 (UK time) We will team up with the Palestine Trauma Centre (UK) to provide a live link-up with their heroic staff who are continuing to work under the most horrific conditions in Gaza. They want the world to know what is happening and this is an opportunity to hear them speak. [We are aware that “Cafe Palestine” is an inappropriate name in a time of mass starvation but it is an event format that people recognise and that is why we are continuing to use the name.] You can read about the work of the Palestine Trauma Centre (UK) here: https://www.palestinetraumacentre.uk/ Living Through the Unimaginable: A testament from Gaza Source: Dr Yasser Abu Jamei, Director General of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, writing in CounterPunch Date: 11 June How do you provide mental health care to people being annihilated? It’s a question I’m asked constantly as a psychiatrist in Gaza, and one that haunts every interaction I and other clinicians have with the children and families we serve. The answer, I’ve learned after 20 months of genocide, is both simpler and more complex than anyone imagines. In my 20 years as a mental health professional in Gaza, I thought I understood trauma. Then came October 2023, and everything I knew about healing, resilience, and hope was tested against a machinery of annihilation that operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year […] https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/06/11/living-through-the-unimaginable-a-testament-from-gaza/ Child psychotherapists speak out for Gaza’s children Child psychotherapists across the UK are standing in solidarity with colleagues and families in Gaza and the West Bank. They are offering clinical support, sharing expertise, and urging professional bodies to condemn the deliberate targeting of children. A moving new slide deck for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week has been produced, alongside active contributions to public awareness and parliamentary advocacy. Full update from Child Psychotherapists for Palestine: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/child-psychotherapists-update-june-2025/ Powerful new slide deck for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2025: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/infant-mental-health-awareness-week-2025-slides/ Child Psychotherapists for Palestine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palestineukchildpsychotherapy/ Adam Goren, child psychotherapist, speaking on a recent Radio Voice of Islam podcast about the effects on children of the war on Gaza: https://soundcloud.com/voislam/weekend-world-podcast-08-06-2025-israel-war-on-gaza-a-war-on-children To email Child Psychotherapists for Palestine, please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com Petition to the Royal College of Psychiatrists – Call to Action on the Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Are you a UK-based psychiatrist and a humanitarian? Please read, sign, and share this petition. The petition is part of the UK Medics’ Petitions to Royal Colleges for Gaza (UKMPRC) multi-specialty initiative. “We, the undersigned psychiatrists, write with grave urgency regarding the catastrophic and deliberate infliction of psychological trauma in Gaza. The toll of bombardment, mass bereavement, starvation, and the systematic destruction of healthcare has created a mental health emergency with consequences that will span generations. As mental health professionals, we recognize the massive harm these conditions inflict on caregiving relationships. This is causing a profound and intergenerational psychological trauma on Gaza’s civilians, from infants to the elderly, with devastating consequences that will echo for decades. […]” The full text of the petition and supporting documentation is available at this link: https://ukpalmhn.com/petition-to-the-royal-college-of-psychiatrists-call-to-action-on-the-gaza-humanitarian-crisis/ Psychiatrists can sign the petition here: https://sprw.io/stt–0ojV Palestine: Repair & Return – Stories of Art and Drama Thursday 3 July 2025 at 6.30pm (UK time) Presented by Theatre for Everybody (Gaza) & Az Theatre (London) A public conversation in-person at P21 Gallery 21-23 Chalton Street London NW1 1JD and online. This event will raise, and listen to, the voices of arts, drama and theatre practitioners in Palestine and throughout the world talking about how their work continues in the midst of genocide, struggle for liberation, displacement and armed violence, and how vital it is. https://mailchi.mp/45d9d04a1a7a/coming-full-circle-back-to-our-centre-stories-of-art-and-drama Call for co-creators: The organisers are keen to establish links with individuals, groups, and organisations with experience working in four areas. 1. food sovereignty, 2. with detainees, including those who have survived abuse and torture, 3. disability 4. homelessness/displacement. Your expertise would be appreciated and highly valued. We would love to have you on board in some way. These events are public conversations exploring how values and insights might converge with the prospect of joint action later. For further information please contact: Naomi: naymicole@gmail.com or Jonathan: info@aztheatre.org.uk Social workers call for ceasefire in Gaza, an end to arms sales and trade sanctions Source: Professional Social Work Magazine (PSW) Date: 3 June PSW is published by the BASW, the British Association of Social Workers. The magazine has published an article highlighting a petition for UK-based aid, health and social care workers calling for a ceasefire and a new statement issued by the BASW and the Social Workers Union, supporting calls for a ceasefire. The statement also calls on the UK government to immediately end arms sales to Israel and implement trade sanctions, among other actions. https://new.basw.co.uk/about-social-work/psw-magazine/articles/social-care-and-health-sector-call-ceasefire-gaza Owen Jones wins the Amnesty Media Awards’ first ever People’s Choice Award. Source: Owen Jones on Instagram Date: 5 June We received hundreds of nominations for a journalists who supporters believed should be recognised for their exceptional work towards making the world a fairer, more equitable place. We put the top ten people out to a public vote and after tens of thousands of votes, your winner is Owen Jones. Here is what Owen Jones had to say on the night. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKfk5lfvwak/ EVENTS Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 11 June, there are 14 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENT Sustaining Health and Healthcare in a Time of Genocide Date: Saturday 14 June from 10:30am -5:00pm at the University of Glasgow. Source: Scottish Palestinian Health Partnership (SPHP) SPHP is a network of healthcare professionals collaborating in support of health and healthcare in Palestine. Our forthcoming conference is an interactive event focusing on the impact of trauma and loss for Palestinians and the implications for mental health and wellbeing. With presentations from: Dr Yasser Abu Jumei (Gaza Community Mental Health Programme), Dr Andy Ferguson (IDEALS) and others. For further information and booking: https://scotpalhp.org/event/scottish-palestinian-health–partnership-conference/ ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page. In the past 4 weeks we have added 7 new, relevant actions to our Action page. https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTION Definitive ceasefire now Act now and help protect children living in conflict A Save the Children petition The international community cannot afford to fail Palestinian children. We must demand that the ceasefire becomes definitive and put an end to the violence now. Together, we can protect children from the horrors of this conflict. Stand in unity with the hundreds of thousands who have already taken action and sign the petition for a definitive ceasefire now. Children must be protected. Stop the war on children https://www.savethechildren.net/takeaction/stop-war-children BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS) A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).” Polling shows British public strongly backs sanctions on Israel Source: Palestine Solidarity Campaign Date: 4 June A new poll conducted by OpiniumResearch for PSC shows broad public support for an arms trade ban, sanctions on Israeli ministers, supermarkets to boycott Israeli goods and Israel to be expelled from the UN. https://x.com/PSCupdates/status/1930181609426215370

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Monday 9 June at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting Displacement orders are psychological and physical warfare in Israeli campaign of ethnic cleansing in Gaza Source: Médecins Sans Frontières Date: 27 May MSF denounces the forced displacements in Gaza as part of a campaign of ethnic cleansing, describing them as psychological and physical warfare. The organisation calls for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access to the affected populations. https://www.msf.org/displacement-orders-are-psychological-and-physical-warfare-israeli-campaign-ethnic-cleansing-gaza Freedom Flotilla tracker Follow live the Freedom Flotilla vessel, Madleen, whose passengers include Greeta Thunberg. Track the vessel’s journey for safety, accountability, and solidarity https://freedomflotilla.org/ffc-tracker/ “Global March to Gaza”: Activists from 31 countries plan march to Rafah border Source: Anadolu Agency Date: 23 May Thousands expected to join Rafah protest from June 12–20 as organizers say blockade caused severe famine, health collapse in Palestinian enclave. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/global-march-to-gaza-activists-from-31-countries-plan-march-to-rafah-border-/3577641 Unoccupied skies with Ghassan Najjar of the Burin Land and Farming Cooperative Source: Green Olive Tours Date: 27 May Burin is a community near Nablus that is surrounded on all sides by violent settler outposts. Living in this reality has meant enduring years of settler harassment, military violence, and general disruption of livelihood. The community is coming together to host their annual kite festival on July 11th, and inviting people around the world to fly kites along with them and host solidarity events in our own communities as part of a global call to action. We joined with Ghassan to learn more about the community of Burin and about this powerful initiative. He is the director of the Burin Land and Farming Cooperative and spoke with us about the ways we can act in direct solidarity with community members resisting escalating state violence and settler attacks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyFcpIKfpGg&t=3457s Medical neglect widespread in Israel’s prisons Source: The Electronic Intifada Date: 2 June Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons report systemic medical neglect, with conditions worsening since October 2023. Former inmates describe deliberate denial of healthcare, leading to deteriorating physical and mental health, and in some cases, death. https://electronicintifada.net/content/medical-neglect-widespread-israels-prisons/50688 Impact of the Israeli Occupation on Palestinian Women Health – Narrative Review Source: Palestinian Medical and Pharmaceutical Journal Date: 13 May (available online) This comprehensive review aimed to shed light on the physical and mental health difficulties and challenges facing Palestinian women of reproductive age. This revealed the impact of the aggression on paralysing the healthcare infrastructure, depriving access to water and electricity, food shortages, and targeting healthcare centres, hospitals. As a result, there are documented increases in maternal and morbidity deaths, deprivation of basic human rights, inability to reach health care centres or hospitals, and poor mental health. […] https://journals.najah.edu/journal/pmpj/first-online/article/2499/ New: Journal for the Study of Christian Zionism Source: Institute for the Study of Christian Zionism (ISCZ) Date: Spring 2025 (Issue 1, Volume 1) Writing from Washington, DC, several months into the second Trump administration, launching the Journal for the Study of Christian Zionism feels all the more vital. While Christian Zionism has always provided cover for or fuelled Israeli settler colonialism and apartheid, the level of violence has reached staggering levels […]. Trump 2.0 promises to empower Christian Zionists as much or more than those emboldened in Trump’s first term […] This journal’s critical research aims to expose Christian Zionism and Zionism more broadly for what it is: an ethnonationalist, racist ideology that privileges one group of people over another with appalling consequences for Palestinians, as well as for those who advocate for them. https://studychristianzionism.org/the-journal-for-the-study-of-christian-zionism-volume-1-no-1/ Gaza lifesaver warns world on Zoom Source: The Crispin Flintoff Show Date: 2 June Two days after touching down in the UK, Dr Mohamed – an A&E consultant who spent 16 months on the front line in Gaza – joined The Crispin Flintoff Show live on Zoom. He pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to save lives amid constant air strikes, collapsing hospitals, and crippling shortages. In this video, you’ll hear: – How aid convoys are systematically blocked and why starving families often see food turned away. – The brutal reality of amputations performed on makeshift tables with minimal anaesthesia and no sterile equipment. – First-hand accounts of malnourished children, mass casualties, and families forced to identify loved ones from rubble. – The lifesaving impact of his clean-water initiative—how 18 hand-dug wells and 3 desalination plants kept entire communities alive. – Why Dr Mohamed believes the only way to force change is through public pressure and global awareness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU-4Qy75BCM EVENTSOur Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 4 June, there are 18 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENT Sustaining Health and Healthcare in a Time of Genocide Date: Saturday 14 June from 10:30am -5:00pm at the University of Glasgow. Source: Scottish Palestinian Health Partnership (SPHP) SPHP is a network of healthcare professionals collaborating in support of health and healthcare in Palestine. Our forthcoming conference is an interactive event focusing on the impact of trauma and loss for Palestinians and the implications for mental health and wellbeing. With presentations from: Dr Yasser Abu Jumei (Gaza Community Mental Health Programme), Dr Andy Ferguson (IDEALS) and others. For further information and booking: https://scotpalhp.org/event/scottish-palestinian-health-partnership-conference/ ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page. We published 12 relevant actions on our Action page during May. https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTIONUK healthcare and humanitarian workers call for immediate UK government action to end Israel’s genocide and protect the Palestinian people Source: Health Workers 4 Palestine (petition to Keir Starmer and David Lammy) Date: May 2025 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0cW5wdBbRFyRhRZU6s8qA14IOtQ9SmG5rC2I0K9K0FK5HKw/viewform BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS) A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS). ”Polling shows British public strongly backs sanctions on Israel Source: Palestine Solidarity Campaign Date: 4 June A new poll conducted by OpiniumResearch for PSC shows broad public support for an arms trade ban, sanctions on Israeli ministers, supermarkets to boycott Israeli goods and Israel to be expelled from the UN. https://x.com/PSCupdates/status/1930181609426215370

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Monday 2 June at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please contact ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting. 77 Years of Ongoing Nakba Source: International Collective of the Palestine Mental Health Networks Date: Thursday 29 May from 4pm – 6pm (UK time) An online event commemorates 77 years since the Nakba, highlighting ongoing struggles faced by Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. The programme includes a short film screening and talks from mental health professionals and activists, aiming to amplify Palestinian voices and advocate for justice. Speakers Yasser Abu Jamei (Gaza) Director General, Gaza Community Mental Health Programme; Co-founder, Palestine-Global Mental Health Network. Gabriela Buamscha (in exile, returning to Beit Jala) Member of Voces Palastinas; Biologist and Soil Scientist specializing in plant nurseries. Yoad Ghanadry (Nazareth) Palestinian scholar, clinician, and Co-founder of the Palestine-Global Mental Health Network. Mazen Qumsieh (Bethlehem) Professor, founder, and volunteer director of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability, Bethlehem University. Hosts Lama Khouri (in exile, returning to Jerusalem) Co-founder, Palestine-Global Mental Health Network Nelly Marzouka (in exile, returning to Bethlehem) Founder, Chile-Palestine Mental Health Network https://www.pmhn-international.org/calendar/oase1pfj5svl6btqwhwg9qzojq2m3i The mental health of children in Gaza Source: Causes Show Date: 21 May A 55-minute interview with Dr. Yasser Abu-Jamei from the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme In this conversation, Dr. Yasser Abu-Jamei discusses the dire mental health situation in Gaza, the work of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, and the profound impact of ongoing conflict on the psychological well-being of children and families. He emphasises the importance of community support, the role of agency in coping with trauma, and the need for creative expression as a means of healing. Dr. Yasser also shares personal experiences of loss and the long-term effects of trauma on individuals and communities. He discusses the profound impact of trauma on families in Gaza and the challenges of managing anger in the face of adversity. He talks about the intersection of health and human rights, the complexities of resilience in prolonged conflict, and the importance of hope amidst despair.  Yasser also addresses misconceptions about life in Gaza and calls for action from the international community to support the basic human rights of Palestinians. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CRXsP8qhpE The missing children of Gaza Source: Save the Children (a detailed, on-screen report and petition) Date: May 2025 Countless children are missing in Gaza. Thousands are presumed dead beneath the rubble. Others have been harmed beyond recognition by explosives, buried in unmarked or mass graves, or gone missing in the chaos of conflict. We may never know what happened to some of these children. But every one of them had a story, a family, and dreams stolen from them. https://www.savethechildren.net/gaza-missing-children An international initiative to improve mental healthcare in Palestine through a tripartite collaboration Source: BJPsych International (open access) Date: 13 May Co-authored by Dr Samah Jabr. The number of people living in Palestine with mental disorders is significantly higher than the global average. Military occupation, violence and poverty contribute to collective trauma. International agencies have emphasised the need for collective action and systemic solutions. The Ministry of Health in Palestine, Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Royal College of Psychiatrists have collaborated to develop a national strategy for child and adolescent mental health, enhance psychiatric training and improve electroconvulsive therapy provision. The article details how this collaboration has demonstrated partnership and local ownership to empower Palestinian communities to make sustainable mental healthcare improvements. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-international/article/an-international-initiative-to-improve-mental-healthcare-in-palestine-through-a-tripartite-collaboration/255B996E8626F59850EC195F3B3931E4 Nurse Lana Abugharbieh witnesses release of Palestinian prisoners during second Gaza mission Source: Institute for Palestine Studies Date: 21 May An appalling and sickening eye witness account about the state of tortured Palestinian prisoners returned to Gaza. https://www.palestine-studies.org/en/node/1657353 Debunked! Don’t let them gaslight you on the Gaza genocide Source: Zeteo Date: 23 May Mehdi Hasan presents evidence from international experts, including Israeli and Jewish scholars, asserting that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide. The article challenges media narratives and urges recognition of the severity of the humanitarian crisis. https://zeteo.com/p/debunked-dont-let-them-gaslight-you-on-gaza-genocide The turning point that wasn’t: The way the world talks about Israel’s war has changed. Nothing else has Source: The Guardian Date: 26 May Nesrine Malik argues that while Western leaders have adopted stronger rhetoric against Israel’s actions in Gaza, substantive policy changes remain absent. She contends that without concrete measures, such as sanctions or arms embargoes, the international community’s stance lacks effectiveness. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/26/israel-gaza-war-turning-point-uk-eu-changed As Gaza’s children are bombed and starved, we watch – powerless. What is it doing to us as a society? Source: The Guardian Date: 24 May Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett reflects on the emotional toll of witnessing the suffering of Gaza’s children through media, describing a collective sense of helplessness and moral injury. She questions societal responsibility and the impact of passive observation on our collective conscience. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/24/gaza-children-bombed-starved-watch-society The moral issue of our time Source: The Chris Hedges YouTube Channel (1 ½ hour recording) Date: 25 May Chris Hedges and Gabor Maté, introduced by journalist Aaron Maté, discuss the “moral issue of our time,” Gaza. Hedges and Gabor Maté deliver speeches, engage in a two-way discussion and take questions from the audience. https://youtu.be/fnl49IWqIcY?si=Mqm0864mbvnATTgf “You don’t ask the perpetrator of genocide.” Source: Middle East Eye Date: 25 May In a searing interview with the BBC, paediatrician Dr Tanya Haj Hassan condemned the broadcaster for echoing Israeli government talking points as she recounted her harrowing experiences in Gaza. Dr Haj Hassan, who recently returned from volunteering with Medical Aid for Palestinians, shared the devastating story of her colleague, Dr Alaa, a paediatric emergency doctor at Nasser Hospital. While Dr Alaa was on call at the hospital, her home was bombed and nine of her children were killed, their bodies charred and dismembered beyond recognition. Her husband remains in critical condition. Dr Haj Hassan described a healthcare system in collapse: intensive care units overflowing with maimed, orphaned children – many the sole survivors of their families. She also questioned why the BBC has delayed the release of ‘Medics Under Fire’, a documentary it commissioned about systematic attacks on Gaza’s healthcare workers, calling for its immediate release. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5yFJ1CjZYE&t=341s BASW & SWU statement on the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank Source: The British Association of Social Workers and The Social Workers Union Date: 27 May BASW and SWU are horrified by the deaths of civilian victims and the terrible and worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We condemn the Israeli government’s ongoing genocidal military action that continues to escalate. We cannot be silent about this. As social workers, we are individually and collectively committed to promoting human rights for all peoples, speaking  out against injustice and violence, and calling for peace building […] https://new.basw.co.uk/articles/basw-swu-statement-worsening-humanitarian-crisis-gaza-and-west-bank EVENTS Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 28 May, there are 14 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENT Sustaining Health and Healthcare in a Time of Genocide Date: Saturday 14 June from 10:30am -5:00pm at the University of Glasgow. Source: Scottish Palestinian Health Partnership (SPHP) SPHP is a network of healthcare professionals collaborating in support of health and healthcare in Palestine. Our forthcoming conference is an interactive event focusing on the impact of trauma and loss for Palestinians and the implications for mental health and wellbeing. With presentations from: Dr Yasser Abu Jumei (Gaza Community Mental Health Programme), Dr Andy Ferguson (IDEALS) and others. For further information and booking: https://scotpalhp.org/event/scottish-palestinian-health-partnership-conference/ ACTIONSOur Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page together with a range of other current actions https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza–crisis/ FEATURED ACTION Support UN-supervised aid and ceasefire in Gaza This is a petition aimed at UK-based health, aid, and social care workers to sign urging the UK Government to take action over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza “We are bound by a shared ethical duty: to care for and support those in need, irrespective of their background or circumstances […] We invite all UK-based health, aid, and social care workers to sign this petition and urge the UK Government to: – Guarantee the continuous delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza under international oversight; – Enact an immediate and total embargo on arms sales and military collaboration with Israel; – Advocate for an immediate, durable, and internationally monitored ceasefire.” https://www.change.org/p/support-un-supervised-aid-and-ceasefire-in-gaza BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS) A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).” Co-op members vote in favour of ceasing trade with Israel Source: Fruitnet Date: 20 May At its recent AGM, 72.8% of Co-op members voted to end trade with Israel, reflecting growing concern over human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories. The decision aligns the cooperative with the broader Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement advocating for Palestinian rights. https://www.fruitnet.com/fresh-produce-journal/co-op-members-vote-in-favour-of-ceasing-trade-with-israel/266855.article King’s College Cambridge to divest millions from “occupation” and arms industry Source: Middle East Eye Date: 20 May King’s College Cambridge has announced plans to divest from arms companies and entities involved in activities deemed illegal or contravening global norms, such as occupation. This decision follows sustained student protests against the college’s investments in firms supplying weapons to Israel and Russia. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/kings-college-cambridge-divest-millions-occupation-and-arms-industry

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space (Monday 26 May is a public holiday in the UK so there will not be a meeting on that day) Next meeting: Monday 2 June at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting. UK Psychologists for Palestine launch new blog and newsletter The new newsletter and article-based platform is a resource for Psychologists and people in Psychology who are concerned about Palestinians’ ongoing plight and dehumanisation. It is tailored for psychologists and individuals working in psychology across the UK, offering insights and resources from UK-based psychologists. We believe that human rights are universal and that all people are equal. As psychologists and mental health professionals, our work supports human well-being, aligning with our vision of justice, dignity, and humanity for all. To contribute a piece: ukpsychologistsforpalestine25@gmail.com New platform: https://open.substack.com/pub/ukpsychologistsforpalestine Medical Aid for Palestinians Stride challenge UK-Palestine Mental Health Network Steering Group member, Teresa Bailey, has joined the MAP Stride challenge walking a distance equivalent to Occupied East Jerusalem to Gaza in the period from 15 May to 15 June. You can support Teresa and follow her virtual progress here: https://medicalaidforpalestinians.enthuse.com/pf/teresa-bailey Leading aid and human rights organisations condemn the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as a dangerous, politicised sham Source: ReliefWeb Date: 19 May Fifty-five humanitarian and rights groups have denounced the Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, arguing it undermines aid neutrality and fails to reach the most vulnerable. They assert that the foundation’s militarised aid distribution model politicises humanitarian assistance and compromises the safety of aid workers. https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/leading-aid-and-human-rights-organisations-condemn-gaza-humanitarian-foundation-dangerous-politicised-sham One day with UNRWA in Gaza Source: European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Date: 20 May The article describes what UNRWA does every day in Gaza: UNRWA continues operating in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, despite the active war in Gaza and the heavy restrictions. UNRWA staff provides aid to the most vulnerable, including psychosocial support, as the daily exposure to violent killing, bombings, drones, displacement and lack of all basic resources is having a devastating impact on the mental health of the population. https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/news-stories/stories/one-day-unrwa-gaza_en The number of UNRWA staff killed in Gaza has surpassed 300 Source: Commissioner-General of UNRWA Date: 18 May “The vast majority of staff were killed by the Israeli Army with their children & loved ones: whole families wiped out. Several were killed in the line of duty while serving their communities. Those killed were mostly UN health workers & teachers, supporting their communities.” https://x.com/UNLazzarini/status/1924123654683611477 Israel’s blockade has transcended military tactics to become a tool of extermination” Source: Human Rights Watch Date: 15 May HRW has issued a recent news update about Gaza. “The Genocide Convention obligates state parties to ‘employ all means reasonably available to them, so as to prevent genocide so far as possible.’ States that are party to the 1948 Genocide Convention, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany, risk legal liability for failing to act to prevent genocide in Gaza, Human Rights Watch said. https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/05/15/gaza-latest-israeli-plan-inches-closer-extermination“ Israel burned the ground under our feet”: Hundreds killed in intensified Gaza assault Source: +972 Magazine Date: 16 May In a wave of airstrikes from Khan Younis to Jabalia, Israeli forces targeted hospitals and homes, killing over 250 and paralysing rescue efforts. Sumaya Al-Hajj, 42, was visiting her mother, who had undergone leg surgery at the hospital, when the bombing started. “In mere seconds, dozens of heavy missiles and shells rained down from all directions […] Frozen in fear, Al-Hajj stood helpless by the door of her mother’s room. ‘I didn’t know what to do. Should I flee or stay? Take my mother or leave her? I couldn’t even look out the window — shrapnel, smoke, and black dust were flying everywhere, I don’t remember how long the terror lasted, but there was screaming everywhere, and the injured and the dead were lying on the ground. No one could help them. The fear paralysed everyone.” https://www.972mag.com/hundreds-killed-intensified-gaza-assault/ Palestinian Centre for Human Rights releases report on lack of privacy and safety for women in makeshift camps Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights Date: 18 May The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) has released a report titled “Makeshift Camps in Gaza: A Harsh Environment Depriving Women of Safety and Privacy.” The report highlights the dire conditions faced by women in makeshift camps across Gaza, where basic human necessities are entirely absent. https://pchrgaza.org/palestinian-center-for-human-rights-releases-report-on-lack-of-privacy-and-safety-for-women-in-makeshift-camps/ Psychoanalysis Under Occupation reading groups Source: USA-Palestine Mental Health Network Date: Two groups of six sessions each starting on Wednesday 25 June or Thursday 26 June Psychoanalysis Under Occupation: Practicing Resistance in Palestine (Routledge, 2022) is co-authored by Professors Lara & Stephen Sheehi. It centres the work of Palestinian clinicians to embrace the full subjectivity of Palestinian people who refuse to be solely defined by the occupation and the ongoing genocide. At the same time, the book explains how the occupation has infiltrated the mental health system in Israel/Palestine as well as compromised the mental health of an entire population. Further information: https://mailchi.mp/5c325d7db62c/more-openings-book-group-may-39012 National March for Palestine in London – Nakba 77 The Palestine Solidarity Campaign reports that half a million people were on the streets marching for Palestine. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJwREX3InIo EVENTS Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 21 May, there are 11 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENT Shubbak Festival 2025: A Window into Contemporary Arab Cultures Friday 23 May to 15 June across London Shubbak Festival 2025, running from 23 May to 15 June across London, showcases contemporary Arab cultures through diverse events, including theatre, music, visual arts, and fashion. Highlights feature the Khashabi Theatre’s performance of “MILK” and the “Art of the Palestinian Poster” exhibition. The festival aims to celebrate and promote Arab artists and their work.​ https://www.shubbak.co.uk/ Further information on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHLekOUI5PD/?igsh=MWlrNXVsMDVzbXRzYg== ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page together with a range of other current actions https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTION Tell Keir Starmer: stop starving Palestinians A Palestine Solidarity Campaign e-petition Right now, with the help of the British government, Israel is deliberately starving more than 2million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. 290,000 Palestinian children are now on the brink of death in Gaza, including 3,500 under the age of five who face imminent starvation. More than 70,000 children have been hospitalised with severe malnutrition as Israel enforces a total blockade – deliberately preventing all access for food, medicine and aid.  The only thing entering Gaza today is bombs – some of them dropped from planes partially manufactured in Britain. Use this e-action today to demand that Keir Starmer stops enabling this unconscionable violence and stops arming Israel. https://palestinecampaign.eaction.online/starmer-stop-starving-Palestinians BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).” Co-op members vote in favour of ceasing trade with Israel Source: Fruitnet Date: 20 May At its recent AGM, 72.8% of Co-op members voted to end trade with Israel, reflecting growing concern over human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories. The decision aligns the cooperative with the broader Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement advocating for Palestinian rights. https://www.fruitnet.com/fresh-produce-journal/co-op-members-vote-in-favour-of-ceasing-trade-with-israel/266855.article King’s College Cambridge to divest millions from “occupation” and arms industry Source: Middle East Eye Date: 20 May King’s College Cambridge has announced plans to divest from arms companies and entities involved in activities deemed illegal or contravening global norms, such as occupation. This decision follows sustained student protests against the college’s investments in firms supplying weapons to Israel and Russia. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/kings-college-cambridge-divest-millions-occupation-and-arms-industry

National Demonstration – Nakba 77 Source: Palestine Solidarity Campaign Date: Saturday 17 May A national demonstration will be held in central London to mark the 77th anniversary of the 1948 Nakba, calling for government action to end the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. The event aims to raise awareness and show solidarity with the Palestinian people. https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-demonstration-nakba-77 The UK-Palestine Mental Health Network banner will be at the march. We will assemble at 12:30 inside Charing Cross Railway Station close to Platform 1. All are welcome to join us. UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Next meeting: Monday 19 May at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please contact ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting. A powerful, first-hand, recent account of life in Tulkarm and the West Bank Gwyn Daniel, a UK-Palestine Mental Health Network Steering Group member writes: “When I visited the West Bank in late April, I had hoped to visit SD, a dear friend from Oxford. However it proved too dangerous either for me to go to Tulkarm or for her to visit me in Ramallah. This is a direct result of the deliberate fragmentation of Palestine, the severing of connections between its citizens and the ‘slow genocide’ and ethnic cleansing currently perpetrated in the West Bank. SD agreed to write for us about her experience and this powerful piece is the result. Because of safety concerns she is not giving her full name.” Here is the beginning of SD’s account: “When I was first asked to write this piece, I was too anxious and hesitant. Expressing pain has never been easy for me. I have long struggled to find the right words, because they collapse, even when I try to articulate what truly hurts. Some feelings and fears are too vast and too abstract for the language to express, especially if the trauma is still unfolding before our eyes, and growing more brutal and vicious day by day. The innumerable sufferings, pain, and losses in Gaza are beyond my ken. The silence is not apathy, but rather, it is deep respect for a people’s innumerable sufferings, pain and losses. How could I, when our beloved brothers and sisters in Gaza are being annihilated before the whole world, dare to speak about pain? But silence becomes a very heavy burden. Over time, I have come to understand that breaking it is not a betrayal to our people in Gaza. Even if my words can barely capture a few aspects of this egregious reality we are witnessing daily, they must be said and documented for generations to come. Documenting history is refusing and resisting all the attempts of erasure. We share this land, we share its history, and this deep pain. The genocide is indeed very fast and merciless in Gaza; however, elsewhere in Palestine, it is taking place more slowly but inexorably. Full account (4 pages): https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/my-window-is-my-world/ Unified call to confront famine in Gaza: Launch a diplomatic humanitarian convoy now “We urge states to join the humanitarian convoy by dispatching official diplomatic missions -at the highest possible level- to accompany the aid trucks already waiting at the Rafah Crossing, and to enter Gaza alongside them. This is an act of legal obligation, moral courage, and human solidarity. […]” The UK-Palestine Mental Health Network has added its name to this open letter. The letter is still open for signature by organisation. Full text: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0aS1-xJDQFisnOABeT9Dnsw3KVygM2Wp9YB32at2J-XeARw/viewform If you were shocked by my film on Israeli settlers in the West Bank, you haven’t been paying attention Source: The Guardian Date: 10 May Louis Theroux reflects on the reaction to his documentary about Israeli settlers in the West Bank, noting that the extremism depicted is now part of mainstream Israeli politics. He emphasizes that the film only scratches the surface of the systemic oppression faced by Palestinians under occupation. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/10/louis-theroux-documentary-on-israeli-settlers-in-the-west-bank Gazans reject new US-Israeli food distribution scheme Source: The New Arab Date: 11 May A new US-Israeli plan to distribute food in Gaza has been met with rejection by Palestinians, who view it as a means of control rather than genuine aid. The initiative proposes heavily guarded distribution centres, bypassing established UN agencies and raising concerns over sovereignty and dignity. https://www.newarab.com/news/gazans-reject-new-us-israeli-food-distribution-scheme Voicenotes from Gaza: ‘I can’t bear to see my children fighting over a loaf of bread’ Source: The Irish Times Date: 11 May First-hand accounts from Gaza reveal the severe impact of famine, with families struggling to find basic food and children competing for scarce resources. The ongoing siege has led to widespread hunger, deteriorating mental health, and a deepening humanitarian crisis. https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/2025/05/11/voices-from-gaza-famine-is-not-just-a-word-it-is-our-reality/ Israel is starving us in Gaza. This is what that feels like Source: The Guardian Date: 6 May Aya Al-Hattab describes the daily reality of hunger in Gaza, where food and medicine have been blocked for nearly two months. She recounts going days without food and the emotional toll of watching her family struggle to find basic sustenance. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/06/israel-starving-gaza-blockade-hunger Israel’s militarised aid system will turn life saving humanitarian aid into a tool of oppression and violence Source: Medical Aid for Palestinians Date: 6 May Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) condemns Israel’s plan to replace the existing humanitarian system in Gaza with a military-controlled apparatus. MAP warns that this approach weaponises aid, undermines humanitarian principles, and exacerbates the suffering of Palestinians under occupation. https://www.map.org.uk/news/archive/post/1735-israelas-militarised-aid-system-will-turn-life-saving-humanitarian-aid-into-a-tool-of-oppression-and-violence PCHR Releases Report on Torture and Genocide Against Palestinians from Gaza Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights Date: 12 May The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) has published a 129-page report documenting the systematic use of torture and inhumane treatment of Palestinians from Gaza detained by Israel since 7 October 2023. The report, entitled “Torture and Genocide: The Shattered Futures of Former Palestinian Detainees in Gaza”, is based on the testimonies of 100 former detainees, including 10 women, and legal visits to 53 others still in custody. The report concludes that the treatment of Palestinians from Gaza amounts to torture and that such torture forms an integral part of the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people. https://pchrgaza.org/pchr-releases-report-on-torture-and-genocide-against-palestinians-from-gaza/ Film Review: ‘The Encampments’ is an inspiring call for liberation in response to the horror of genocide The documentary film “The Encampments” shares the inspiring story of how students brought Columbia University to a standstill, and the issue of Palestine to millions around the world. https://mondoweiss.net/2025/05/film-review-the-encampments-is-an-inspiring-call-for-liberation-in-response-to-the-horror-of-genocide/ Official trailer: https://youtu.be/wD3fpHjwsbw We will provide follow-up information when this film is available in the UK Bisan from Gaza Gives a heart-breaking account of her own situation and that of the wider community. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJUauaaMF7j/ EVENTS Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 14 May, there are 14 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENT Shubbak Festival 2025: A Window into Contemporary Arab Cultures Friday 23 May to 15 June across London Shubbak Festival 2025, running from 23 May to 15 June across London, showcases contemporary Arab cultures through diverse events, including theatre, music, visual arts, and fashion. Highlights feature the Khashabi Theatre’s performance of “MILK” and the “Art of the Palestinian Poster” exhibition. The festival aims to celebrate and promote Arab artists and their work.​ https://www.shubbak.co.uk/ Further information on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHLekOUI5PD/?igsh=MWlrNXVsMDVzbXRzYg== ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page together with a range of other current actions https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTION Nakba Day – Workplace Day of Action Date: Thursday 15 May – all day at various workplaces Source: Palestine Solidarity Campaign Discuss with your colleagues in your branch about what kind of action is best suited to your workplace and its circumstances. Take action in your workplace: Organise a lunch-time walk-out Circulate a petition calling for the divestment of pension fund holdings Organise a letter writing session for your members to write to their local councillors Support the Don’t Buy Apartheid campaign by asking your workplace to commit not to stock Israeli fresh produce and Coca-Cola products Organise a lunch-time meeting, teach-in or film screening Distribute leaflets for the national demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 17 May in central London. https://palestinecampaign.org/events/nakba-day-workplace-day-of-action-for-palestine/ BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).” Don’t Buy Apartheid Palestine Solidarity Campaign Boycott Action The Campaign calls on all individuals, shops, cafés and venues to pledge to take two key actions to support Palestinians: boycott Israeli produce and boycott Coca-Cola. Watch the webinar to find out more about the campaign. Full details of the new campaign: https://x.com/PSCupdates/status/1899780352979112277 Launch event on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyZ5DPLWdyQ

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Next meeting: Monday 12 May at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please contact ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting. National Demonstration – Nakba 77 Source: Palestine Solidarity Campaign Date: Saturday 17 May A national demonstration will be held in central London to mark the 77th anniversary of the 1948 Nakba, calling for government action to end the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. The event aims to raise awareness and show solidarity with the Palestinian people. https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-demonstration-nakba-77 The UK-Palestine Mental Health Network banner will be at the march. We will assemble at 12:30 in Charing Cross Station close to Platform 1. All are welcome to join us. Left speechless: Trauma leaving children in Gaza unable to communicate Source: Index on Censorship Date: 29 April Palestinian mental health experts describe children in Gaza exhibiting trauma-induced mutism, silence, and dissociation. The article connects this to the broader collapse of mental health services under siege. https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2025/04/left-speechless-trauma-leaving-children-gaza-unable-communicate/ Gaza genocide: Remember the moment that shook you into caring Source: Middle East Eye (Opinion) Date: 29 April “Remember that it was not an anomaly, but one of hundreds of thousands of moments, each as devastating and urgent.” https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/gaza-genocide-remember-moment-shook-you-caring Children starving in Gaza due to food shortages, charities say Source: ITV News Date: 4 May As Israel’s blockade on supplies into Gaza enters it’s third month, desperate scenes of hunger and need can be seen across the territory as ITV News reports. https://www.itv.com/news/2025-05-04/catastrophic-children-starving-in-gaza-due-to-food-shortages-charities-say Gaza: A mother’s search for food Source: The Independent Date: 5 May This report follows a mother navigating food shortages in Gaza. While focused on survival, it touches indirectly on psychological stress and maternal distress. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/israel-gaza-mothers-khan-younis-rice-b2744014.html In the West Bank, the media describes “relative calm.” Our reality couldn’t be more different Source: Mondoweiss Date: 30 April This first-person account contrasts international headlines with the daily fear and unpredictability of life under occupation. The narrative evokes the sustained psychological strain. https://mondoweiss.net/2025/04/in-the-west-bank-the-media-describes-relative-calm-our-reality-couldnt-be-more-different/ How Israel Became A Fascist State | Aaron Bastani meets Ilan Pappé They discuss the origins of Britain’s Israel lobby, the indoctrination of Israelis and whether the recent atrocities committed in Gaza and the West Bank are signs of Israel’s imminent collapse. Source: Novara Media (1-hour YouTube interview) Date: 20 April https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9rr3j7vZGo&list=PL9f7WaXxDSUrEWXNZ_wO8tML0KjIL8d56&index=3&t=267s Oh Big Blue (digital download) A collection of poems and illustrations by children aged 9 to 17 from Palestine. They are some of the Palestinian entries from the 2024 Hands Up Project poetry competition presented here in the form in which they were originally received. Available in digital and hardcopy format at: https://www.handsupproject.org/shop/ Az Theatre & Theatre for Everyone (Gaza) seeking contacts Az Theatre & Theatre for Everyone (Gaza) are hoping to build links with organisations, groups, or individuals who would be interested in working with Palestinian groups and organisations in the areas of disability, housing/displacement, detainees and food sovereignty. Please check out the link: https://aztheatre.org.uk/palestine-repair-return-theatre-for-everybody-gaza-az-theatre-london/ These events are public conversations exploring how values and insights might converge with the prospect of joint action later. We would love to have you on board. Please contact: naomiruthcole@gmail.com UKPALMHN mailing – Call for volunteers We would like to provide more comprehensive listings of events and actions that are relevant to Palestine and mental health. The problem is that this information is spread across a wide range of sites and social media channels and is in a range of different formats. We are looking for volunteers who could allocate about an hour a week to scan selected sites or channels for relevant items and send this information through to our email address. Please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you are interested or would like more information. EVENTSOur Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 7 May, there are 18 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENT 6:30pm to 8:00pm UK TIME https://zoom.us/meeting/register/uO_yxhYPStGDtxKdhQ5OMw#/registration

ACTIONS

Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page together with a range of other current actions
https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/

FEATURED ACTION

Email your MP: Recognise Palestine now, Sir Keir: it’s time to lead, not follow
An urgent letter from Andrew Whitley, Chair of the Britain Palestine Project
https://britainpalestineproject.org/recognise-palestine-now-britain-should-lead-not-follow/

“Today there is a rare chance to persuade our Government to take positive action on Palestine/Israel. France aims to recognise the state of Palestine by June. Our Government has been dragging its feet, despite a clear Labour manifesto commitment. Please consider writing to your MP urging our Prime Minister to act before June. Historically and morally, it is us British who have “form” on Palestine. Recognition of Palestine supports the Palestinian right to self-determination, which Mr Netanyahu seeks to destroy. Recognition is not the only action our Government needs to take. But it is do-able, and there are signs that the Government is considering emulating France. Now is the time to press the point.”The suggested letter can be found at this link together with an easy way to send the letter to your MP.
https://balfourproject.eaction.org.uk/recognisepalestine-8522

BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).”

New Don’t Buy Apartheid campaign:
https://x.com/PSCupdates/status/1899780352979112277

PALESTINIANS ARE STARVING IN GAZA What action (big or small) is each of us going to take today? OPENING REMARKS AT PRESS BRIEFING TO PALESTINIAN JOURNALISTS BY JONATHAN WHITTALL, HEAD OF OFFICE FOR THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY FOR THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS (OCHA) https://www.unocha.org/news/ocha-warns-deliberate-dismantling-life-gaza Gaza City, 26 April 2025 As prepared for delivery  Today, people are not surviving in Gaza – those who aren’t shot or bombed are slowly dying. They are being suffocated. What we see around us is endless suffering under a total and complete blockade, a total closure that has lasted now for almost two months while air strikes and ground operations intensify and displacement orders increase. We know that hospitals are overwhelmed, yet supplies are running out, and some of the sick and injured can’t be treated. We know that people are hungry and malnutrition rates are rising, but our warehouses are empty, bakeries are closed, and soon, community kitchens will be closing. We know that people are thirsty, but water wells are out of reach. We know that solid waste is piling up and sanitation conditions are deteriorating, but we can’t move the waste because landfills are unreachable and equipment unavailable. We know that people are trapped under the rubble, but there is limited fuel and limited machinery to rescue them. We know that land is shrinking with displacement orders, fishers shot at sea, and that nowhere is safe. We know that sewage is flowing in the streets, and we don’t have all the supplies needed to repair networks. We know that children need to learn, but schools are destroyed or inaccessible, and we don’t have education supplies. We know that prices of remaining goods are rising, but there is no cash available in Gaza. We know that there is no cooking gas or fuel and that people are burning trash to generate some energy. We know that UNRWA is irreplaceable but is under unprecedented pressure. We know that people are living on rubble, but we have no more tents to distribute. We know that this is not only about humanitarian needs but also about dignity. There is an assault on people’s dignity. We know that humanitarian workers, first responders and journalists – who should be protected, just like all civilians – are being killed in a war that appears to be fought without limits. People in Gaza tell me that they feel like it’s the deliberate dismantling of Palestinian life – in plain sight. Documented daily by all of you, Palestinian journalists. We have seen the images of children’s bodies being thrown from one building to another due to the force of a bombing. We have seen the videos of families being burnt alive. We have seen the bodies of our colleagues who have been killed. We have seen the total and complete destruction of infrastructure in Gaza all around us. We have seen patients having to be turned away after a hospital has been bombed and taken out of service. We can see every day, family members and friends of everyone in Gaza being killed or displaced. Together with you, we are witnessing these atrocities. As humanitarians, we can see that aid is being weaponized through its denial. There is no justification for this, and it has to stop. Lives depend on the blockade ending, aid flowing and a ceasefire being reinstated. I hope that we see real accountability – real accountability – before we see history judge those who watched what is happening in Gaza and did nothing. Posted on 26 April 2025 FEATURED ACTION Online Rally – Nakba 77 – Mobilise for Palestine Source: Palestine Solidarity Campaign (on YouTube) Date: Thursday 1 May at 7pm Hear from key speakers about how you can mobilise to take part in a series of actions in the week of Monday 12 May. These include a workplace day of action and build up to the 26th National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 17 May. These events mark the 77th anniversary of the 1947/8 Nakba which saw the ethnic cleansing of 750,000 Palestinian people from their homeland, and the destruction of over 500 cities, towns, and villages. This violence has never ended. The Nakba is ongoing with the current genocide its most extreme and brutal episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_HNJRRGEqc See this page for our full list of actions: https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Next meeting: Monday 5 May at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please email ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like to attend this meeting. National Demonstration – Nakba 77 Source: Palestine Solidarity Campaign Date: Saturday 17 May – Assemble at 12:00 Location: Assemble outside Embankment tube (more details to follow) A national demonstration will be held in central London to mark the 77th anniversary of the 1948 Nakba, calling for government action to end the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. The event aims to raise awareness and show solidarity with the Palestinian people. https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-demonstration-nakba-77 ‘It would be easier to die in an airstrike than die of hunger’: Gazans face famine as UN runs out of food Source: Mondoweiss Date: 29 April This report documents the growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where residents face imminent famine due to Israel’s blockade and the collapse of aid deliveries. Eyewitnesses and UN officials describe widespread starvation and desperation, particularly among children. https://mondoweiss.net/2025/04/it-would-be-easier-to-die-in-an-airstrike-than-die-of-hunger-gazans-face-famine-as-un-runs-out-of-food/ Where is Humanity? Does Anyone Still See Us? Report of Spring Study Tour to Palestine/Israel Source: Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) Date: 25 April The 15 internationals who participated in the recent ICAHD 11-day issue-based study tour to Palestine/Israel were repeatedly asked these questions. Palestinians are staggered by world governments that not only support Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the West Bank, but who also facilitate it. Several expressed that they have no faith in the international community and question why people are so uninterested and dispassionate about their suffering and death. The tour programme took the group as far south as the Naqab (Negev), north into the Galilee, west to Jaffa, Tel Aviv and Haifa and east along the Jordan Valley. Most of the time, the group was based in Bethlehem and then it relocated to Nazareth during the last few days. https://icahd.org/2025/04/24/where-is-humanity-does-anyone-still-see-us-spring-study-tour-to-palestine-israel-2/ Psychological first aid for complex reactions: Six-episode video series from Palestine Source: MHPSS Hub Date: 24 April A new six-part video series produced in Palestine explores how Psychological First Aid (PFA) techniques can support individuals facing complex trauma reactions amid ongoing violence. Each episode provides practical guidance informed by local expertise and experience. https://mhpsshub.org/news/pfa-for-complex-reactions-six-episode-video-series-from-palestine/ A knock at the door Source: CounterPunch Date: 28 April By Lama Khouri, a member of the Palestine-Global Mental Health Network. “The scene has become tragically familiar in occupied Palestine: the pounding fists on the door in the dead of night, the splintering wood, the shouts in broken Arabic. Soldiers storm in, rifles raised, children jolt awake, and someone is taken for nothing more than attending a protest or being related to someone who did, or throwing a stone, or posting something on social media in protest to the atrocities committed against their own people […].” https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/04/28/a-knock-at-the-door/ Impact of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza on children’s health: Evidence and recommendations for mitigation Source:Global Public Health (Taylor & Francis Online) Date:22 April This article analyses the severe effects of Gaza’s ongoing humanitarian crisis on children’s physical and mental health. The authors provide evidence-based recommendations for mitigating the damage, including immediate interventions and structural changes. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17441692.2025.2495326 Mental health is still a human right during times of war Source: International Journal of Social Psychiatry (SAGE Journals) Date: 12 April This article explores how mental health professionals can respond to the suffering in Gaza through solidarity, ethical practice, and advocacy. It situates the crisis within a wider settler-colonial framework and stresses the need for global mental health communities to act. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00207640251331856 The healthcare community has a responsibility to highlight the ongoing destruction in Gaza Source: The BMJ Date: 12 April This opinion piece calls on global healthcare professionals to speak out against the destruction of Gaza’s health infrastructure under Israeli bombardment and blockade. The authors urge the medical community to uphold ethical responsibilities and resist political silencing. https://www.bmj.com/content/389/bmj.r741.full The Settlers Source: BBC Date: 27 April Louis Theroux spends time with the growing community of Israeli religious-nationalist settlers. Their settlements are illegal under international law, and they have been protected by the army, the police and the Israeli government. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002bm1y/louis-theroux-the-settlers A 12-minute summary of the programme from Novara Media https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqVjBDDiCCQ Support Dr Abu Safiya for Nobel Peace Prize Source: The Rights Forum Date: 26 April This petition calls for the nomination of Dr. Ghassan Abu Safiya, head of paediatrics at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his life-saving work under siege. It highlights global efforts to honour Palestinian medical professionals amid extreme conditions. https://rightsforum.org/petitie/support-dr-abu-safiya-nobel-peace-prize/#:~:text=In%20recognition%20of%20his%20extraordinary,for%20Gaza%20in%20the%20Netherlands EVENTS Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 30 April, there are 14 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENT Psychological perspectives on Palestine Source: The Palestine Interdisciplinary Research Network Date: Wednesday 7 May from 4.30pm – 6.00pm This online event will explore the psychological dimensions of the Palestinian experience, focusing on the mental health impacts of occupation, displacement, and resistance. Speakers include Palestinian and international mental health professionals who will share insights and strategies for solidarity. Register here: https://universityofsussex.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RH4O8-V5RnKWFl9zTuuECA ACTIONS Actions are available on our dedicated Actions page. https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS) A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).” Palestine Solidarity Campaign Boycott Action The Campaign calls on all individuals, shops, cafés and venues to pledge to take two key actions to support Palestinians: boycott Israeli produce and boycott Coca-Cola. Watch the webinar to find out more about the campaign. Full details of the new campaign: https://x.com/PSCupdates/status/1899780352979112277 Launch event on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyZ5DPLWdyQ

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Next meeting: Monday 28 April at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please contact ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like to attend this meeting. National Demonstration – Nakba 77 Source: Palestine Solidarity Campaign Date: Saturday 17 May A national demonstration will be held in central London to mark the 77th anniversary of the 1948 Nakba, calling for government action to end the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. The event aims to raise awareness and show solidarity with the Palestinian people. https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-demonstration-nakba-77 A haunting image of a young Gazan boy recovering from war injuries has been named World Press Photo of the Year for 2025 Source: BBC Date: 17 April The portrait, taken by Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf for the New York Times, shows nine-year-old Mahmoud Ajjour, who lost both arms in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City in March 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crm347kpljko ‘How do I live like this?’ asks Gaza boy who lost arms in Israeli attack Source: Al Jazeera Date: 18 April 2025 Nine-year-old Mahmoud Ajjour lost both arms in an Israeli drone strike and now resides in Qatar for treatment. He recounts undergoing surgery without anesthesia and struggles with daily activities, highlighting the dire conditions faced by injured children in Gaza. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/18/how-do-i-live-like-this-asks-gaza-boy-who-lost-arms-in-israeli-attack Honouring Palestinian Child’s Day This is a 2 ½ hour video. Full details about the event and speakers: https://www.pgmhn.org/calendar-of-events On the occasion of Palestine Child’s Day, Doctors Against Genocide, in partnership with the Palestine-Global Mental Health Network and Healthcare Workers for Palestine organised a Global Symposium: “Not Another Child.” Source: Palestine-Global Mental Health Network and Doctors Against Genocide Date: 6 April https://www.youtube.com/live/su8oOm8ulY8 In Gaza, a 15-year-old boy has lived through five wars Source: TRT World (3 minute video) Date: 15 April 2025 A 15-year-old boy in Gaza shares his experiences of enduring five wars, highlighting the profound psychological impact on children living under constant threat. The video features insights from Dr. Samah Jabr, who discusses the long-term mental health consequences of repeated trauma on Palestinian youth. https://www.facebook.com/trtworld/videos/3488501097946995 ICJ to hold public hearings on Israel’s duties regarding UN activities in Palestine Source: Palestine Chronicle Date: 10 April 2025 The International Court of Justice will conduct public hearings from 28 April to 2 May to assess Israel’s legal obligations concerning UN activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. This follows a UN General Assembly resolution responding to Israeli legislation that restricted UNRWA operations. https://www.palestinechronicle.com/icj-to-hold-public-hearings-on-israels-duties-regarding-un-activities-in-palestine/# Experiences of pain among Palestinian advanced cancer patients: a socio-cultural reading of reports from the Israeli occupied West Bank Source: Frontiers in Psychiatry (authors include Rita Giacaman and Weeam Hammoudeh)(open access) Date: 23 April The study highlights that social support and solidarity from family, friends, neighbours, and the broader community are vital for Palestinians with advanced cancer in managing both physical and existential pain. This support is perceived not merely as compassion but as a wajib (واجب)—a social and moral duty deeply embedded in cultural and religious expectations. Additionally, spiritual reliance on God (Tawwakul) provides psychological strength and communal resilience, further reinforcing the social fabric that sustains patients and their families through illness and end-of-life experiences. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1536839/full Unveiling health disparities in Palestine: a qualitative study of stakeholders’ perspectives Source: International Journal for Equity in Health (open access) Date: 16 April 2025 This study examines health disparities in Palestine, identifying political, socioeconomic, and systemic factors contributing to unequal healthcare access and outcomes. Stakeholders recommend policy reforms to enhance health equity, including integrating equity into policy frameworks and strengthening healthcare infrastructure. https://equityhealthj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12939-025-02449-8 How trauma is scarring the lives of a million young Gazans Source: The National Date: 18 April 2025 UNICEF reports that nearly every child in Gaza is in need of mental health support due to ongoing conflict and instability. The article highlights the severe psychological toll on children, including nightmares, anxiety, and behavioral issues, exacerbated by the destruction of homes and schools. https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2025/04/19/gaza-children-trauma-mental-health-war-middle-east/ Where is the salvation, Smurfette? Source: The Electronic Intifada Date: 16 April 2025 In a Gaza City shelter camp, displaced children use puppetry to express their experiences of war and loss. Through characters like Smurfette and Antar, they convey the destruction of their homes and schools, highlighting the psychological impact of the conflict on young minds. https://electronicintifada.net/content/where-salvation-smurfette/50592 EVENTS Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 23 April, there are 12 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENT Psychological perspectives on Palestine Source: The Palestine Interdisciplinary Research Network Date: Wednesday 7 May from 4.30pm – 6.00pm This online event will explore the psychological dimensions of the Palestinian experience, focusing on the mental health impacts of occupation, displacement, and resistance. Speakers include Palestinian and international mental health professionals who will share insights and strategies for solidarity. Register here: https://universityofsussex.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RH4O8-V5RnKWFl9zTuuECA ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page together with a range of other current actions https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTION Microsoft: Stop providing support to the Israeli military Source: Ekō Date: 7 April 2025 A petition urges Microsoft to cease its support for the Israeli military, highlighting the company’s provision of cloud services and infrastructure that allegedly facilitate military operations in Gaza. https://action.eko.org/a/microsoft-stop-providing-support-to-the-israeli-military Microsoft faces growing unrest over role in Israel’s war on Gaza: ‘Close to a tipping point’ Source: The Guardian Date: 18 April 2025 Microsoft employees have intensified protests against the company’s provision of AI and cloud services to the Israeli military, disrupting events and forming groups like “No Azure for Apartheid.” Several employees have been fired following these actions, highlighting internal tensions over ethical concerns and transparency. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/apr/18/microsoft-ai-israel-gaza-war BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).” Details of new campaign: https://x.com/PSCupdates/status/1899780352979112277 Launch event on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyZ5DPLWdyQ

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space There will not be a Solidarity Space meeting on Easter Monday. The next meeting will be on Monday 28 April at 1pm (UK time) The link will be included in next week’s mailing. Program linking mental health practitioners with Palestinians in Britain impacted by the genocide in Gaza The UK Palestine Mental Health Network is collaborating with the British Palestinian Committee (BPC) on a program that links up mental health practitioners with Palestinians in Britain who have been impacted by the ongoing genocide in Gaza. With the Network’s help, the BPC has appointed a mental health coordinator who started work a few weeks ago. As one of the first steps in developing this area of work, there will be two upcoming focus groups for volunteer mental health practitioners. These are scheduled for Wednesday 23rd and Wednesday 30th April from 6:30-9:30pm and will be online (via Zoom). We have already identified a number of volunteer therapists who will be participating in these focus groups but if you would like to attend, you can register for the focus on April 23rd here or on 30th April here. Please note that this is the same focus group that is being offered twice so you will only need to attend one of the sessions. You must be a licensed and registered mental health practitioner in the UK to be able to attend these focus groups. Registration is necessary and only once you register will you receive the Zoom link to join. Family Therapists for Palestine: narrative of our group’s development, aims and activities over the past eighteen months “Family Therapists for Palestine is a safe space for those supporting Palestine and resisting the dehumanisation, apartheid, colonisation and genocide to which Palestinians are subjected. We frame our activity in terms of anti-racism and anti-colonialism, intersecting with other anti-racist practices within the systemic community. We meet monthly online and have a Google Group to help us bear witness and support each other, as well as share ideas and coordinate activities. Many of our members are active within the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network (UKPALMHN – https://ukpalmhn.com/) and are connected with Palestinian therapists and therapeutic organisations. […]” Full report: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/family-therapists-for-palestine-update-april-2025/ Family Therapists for Palestine welcomes new members. Please contact Gwyn Daniel (danielgwyn@gmail.com) or, to join the Google Group, Joanne Early joanne.early@btinternet.co Gaza’s Unspoken Reality: The tremendous need for prioritizing mental healthcare Source: This Week in Palestine Date: April 2025 edition By Yasser Abu Jamei, the director general of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme For Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, the last eighteen months have been marked by three major interlinked calamities: A brutal war that has lasted over seventeen months; Multiple displacements; and health risks and hazards. https://thisweekinpalestine.com/gazas-unspoken-reality/ Long overdue release of Ahmad Manasra marks the start of a long and difficult path to recovery Source: Amnesty International Date: 10 April https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/04/israel-opt-long-overdue-release-of-ahmad-manasra-marks-the-start-of-a-long-and-difficult-path-to-recovery/ Statement from the Palestine-Global Mental Health Network https://www.pgmhn.org/statements/tjcnoc8x7zyy6woehh3b8wo816ub2c Strengthening International Accountability: Protecting the Rights of Children in Palestine Source: Defence for Children International (1-hour video) Date: 4 April In March, Defence for Children International held a side event to the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The event, moderated by Alex Kamarotos, Executive Director of DCI, with speakers including Mr. Khaled Quzmar, Director General of DCI-Palestine, and Ms. Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory since 1967. https://defenceforchildren.org/strengthening-international-accountability-protecting-the-rights-of-children-in-palestine-side-event-to-the-un-human-rights-council-58th-session/ Postpartum depression: perception, management, and help-seeking barriers in a Palestinian context: a qualitative study Source: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (open access) Date: 8 April Postpartum depression (PPD) is a global concern that adversely affects the well-being of mothers, their children, and their families. It is particularly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, where limited research has been conducted. This study aimed to examine the perspectives of mothers regarding PPD and to identify their help-seeking behaviours and barriers in a Palestinian context. https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-025-07457-8 Post-traumatic stress disorder among Al-Quds University students during the 2023 Gaza war: a cross-sectional study Source: BMC Psychiatry (open access) Date: 8 April This study assesses the prevalence of PTSD among Al-Quds University students during the 2023 Gaza war, highlighting a high rate of severe symptoms. It calls for trauma-informed mental health interventions tailored to students living in conflict zones. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40200227/ World must act with urgency to save Palestinians in Gaza Source: World Health Organization Date: 7 April UN agencies warn of catastrophic conditions in Gaza, where over two million people are trapped without humanitarian aid, food, fuel or medicine. They urge the international community to act immediately to prevent further loss of life and collapse of the health system. https://www.who.int/news/item/07-04-2025-world-must-act-with-urgency-to-save-palestinians-in-gaza UNRWA responded to over 3,000 cases requiring psycho-social support (mainly for children) in one week Source: UNRWA Date: 12 April https://www.instagram.com/p/DITsQGvM_Wu/?img_index=1 EVENTS Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 16 April, there are 12 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENTS both featured events take place on Thursday 17 April Palestine: Repair & Return- Stories of return and ongoing genocide Source: Theatre for Everybody (Gaza) and Az Theatre (London) Date: Thursday, April 17 at 6:30pm (UK time) This event, presented by Theatre for Everybody (Gaza) and Az Theatre (London), is a public conversation live from P21 Gallery and online, that presents testimonies, videos, live interventions, giving accounts of the return of the people of Gaza to their homes, both from the displaced tent encampments and from the prisons and torture centres in Israel. These will also include accounts of the consequences of the end of the ceasefire and of the escalation of the genocide in Gaza and the West Bank. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/palestine-repair-return-stories-of-return-and-ongoing-genocide-tickets-1302013771239 The Cage and the Spoon: Imprisonment and prisoners’ resistance in Palestine Date: Thursday April 17 at 6:30 pm Source: Makan – Education for Liberation Commemorating Palestinian Prisoners Day, Makan will be holding an online mini lecture that will: – Situate imprisonment as a settler colonial tool of control and subordination – Provide an overview of imprisonment across historic Palestine – Centre the efforts of Palestinian prisoners and wider civil society resisting these conditions Join us to learn more about imprisonment in Palestine on Palestinian Prisoners Day. https://www.makan.org.uk/event/the-cage-and-the-spoon-imprisonment-and-prisoners-resistance-in-palestine-online-mini-lecture/ ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page together with a range of other current actions https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTION Parliament Lobby Day Date: Wednesday 14 May Location: Parliament The British government remains deeply complicit in the ongoing Nakba (catastrophe) against the Palestinian people, including the current genocide taking place in the Gaza Strip. This will only change through mass public pressure. You can help by joining the Palestine Solidarity Campaign lobbying MPs on Wednesday 14 May. Register here: https://palestinecampaign.eaction.online/MayLobby2025 BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS) A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).”

🚨NEW CAMPAIGN: Today, we’re launching our Don’t Buy Apartheid campaign, calling on all individuals, shops, cafés and venues to pledge to take two key actions to support Palestinians: boycott Israeli produce and boycott Coca-Cola.

Watch below to learn more (1/8) pic.twitter.com/o7o4CxJLXa

— Palestine Solidarity Campaign (@PSCupdates) March 12, 2025