Mehdi Hasan delivers powerful speech at Wembley, accuses media of failing Gaza journalists
London: Award-winning British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan delivered a powerful and emotional speech at a packed Wembley Arena, where over 13,000 people had gathered for the ‘Together For Palestine’ fundraising concert. Hasan, the CEO and editor-in-chief of the media company Zeteo, used the platform to highlight what he described as the systematic silencing of Palestinian voices and the failure of Western journalism in covering the ongoing violence in Gaza.
Speaking to thunderous applause, Hasan said that for the last 23 months the world has been misled and manipulated, not only by Israel but also by the mainstream media in the West. He accused international outlets of failing in their duty to tell the full story of the “genocide in Gaza” and said it angered him when people demanded that Israel should allow more journalists into the besieged territory.
“Yes, Israel should. But Western media must stop acting as if there aren’t already journalists in Gaza,” Hasan said. “The bravest journalists in the world are in Gaza right now – Palestinian journalists.”
Hasan drew attention to the staggering number of journalists who have lost their lives in Gaza since the escalation of violence. He said 270 Palestinian journalists had been killed, a figure that, according to him, exceeded the number of journalists killed in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Iraq War combined.
“These journalists were not killed by accident, they were not collateral damage,” Hasan declared. “They were killed as part of Israel’s deliberate campaign to blind the world and erase evidence of its crimes.”
He went on to name several slain journalists, including Anas al-Sharif, Hossam Shabbat, Maryam Abu Dhaka, Roshdi Siraj, Muhammad Abu Hattab – who died along with 11 members of his family – and Bilal Jadallah. Hundreds of others, Hasan said, would never be remembered on platforms like CNN or the BBC.
Strongly criticising the silence of his peers, Hasan said, “Shame on those Western journalists who have not uttered a single word about the mass killing of their Palestinian counterparts.” He added that Palestinian journalists were “the best of us” because they were not only documenting a war but also their own annihilation and starvation in real time.
In one of the most striking moments of his speech, Hasan led the Wembley crowd in chanting: “You can’t bomb the truth away.” The audience repeated the slogan several times, filling the arena with a defiant chorus.
Hasan urged people worldwide to carry forward the work of the fallen journalists, not with fear or silence, but with courage, loud voices, and resistance. “Every fallen journalist leaves behind their footage, their words, their example. Let us honour their sacrifice not with despair, but with defiance,” he said.
Ending his speech on a note of solidarity and hope, Hasan addressed the journalists who died in Gaza: “Your voices are our voices. Your struggle is our struggle. And your truth will not die.”
He also sent a strong message to Israel, its allies, and sections of the media: “You will not silence Gaza. You will not silence Palestine. You will not silence the truth. And one day soon, Palestine will be free.”
The speech was met with a standing ovation, with many in the audience visibly moved by Hasan’s words. The Wembley gathering was one of the largest solidarity events for Palestine in recent times, combining fundraising with calls for justice and international accountability.
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India, Russia moving confidently to achieve USD 100 billion trade target by 2030: Ambassador
Moscow (PTI): India and Russia are moving confidently to achieve a target of USD 100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 and steps are being taken to expand the trade basket, Ambassador Vinay Kumar said on Monday.
"The past year has been particularly active. We had a very successful visit of President (Vladimir) Putin. Achieving the bilateral trade target of USD 100 billion by 2030 is eminently possible,” Ambassador Kumar said while talking to PTI on India’s 77th Republic Day.
“Steps are being taken, including identification of new items, and a free trade agreement will facilitate the achievement of this target," he added, noting that trade has increased with new opportunities in fertilisers, agriculture and engineering.
According to reports, in FY 2024–25, India-Russia bilateral trade reached a record high of approximately USD 68.7 billion due to massive import of Russian crude.
"More of the trade is being conducted already in the national currencies and this trend will continue as we further deepen trade and economic ties,” the ambassador said.
Earlier, addressing the Indian community which gathered in large numbers at the embassy compound on the 77th Republic Day, Ambassador Kumar underscored the “active and result-oriented” phase in the bilateral relations between New Delhi and Moscow.
During Putin’s visit to New Delhi last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi exuded confidence that the USD 100 billion bilateral trade target between India and Russia will be achieved ahead of 2030.
Speaking at the India-Russia Business Forum, along with Russian President Putin, Modi invited Russian businesses to 'come and Make In India...and partner with India'.
