In pictures: Washington DC raises money for Gaza in five-kilometre race

The race on Saturday was organised by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) USA at Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC. People of all ages and walks of life took part in the five-kilometre run, with supporters coming from Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.

Nearly $800,000 was raised for mental health services in Gaza.

Judith Kelly, (left), from Arlington, Virginia, poses with origami she made incorporating colours from the Palestinian flag. "I have been trying to be in solidarity with Palestinians. I went as part of a delegation to Palestine in December with a great organisation called Sabil. I'm ready to get going today!" 

Judy Coode, (right), from Washington, DC, said, "I work for Pax Christi US, a Catholic peace movement. We are very involved with Palestinian issues. Palestine is a key matter for us. I wanted to be here in support."

Maha Mudawwar, from Alexandria, Virginia: "I have been supporting Unrwa for a long time and am familiar with the work they do in Palestine. I’m doing this for the people in Palestine who are watching us, so they know we are out here supporting them.

"The movement is a very intersectional movement that crosses lines of gender, race, and religion."

Stacey Gilbert, from Baltimore, Maryland, said, “I resigned under the Biden administration from the State Department because they produced a report saying Israel is not blocking humanitarian aid, even though they are. This BS has not stopped under Trump. The Biden administration and Blinken laid the groundwork, and providing military support to Israel is not a policy that makes any sense. I came today to be in solidarity with Unrwa.”

Matt McNabney and his daughter Eva are from Baltimore, Maryland.

"Palestine is everything. Palestine is everywhere. Palestine is our compass," Eva said.

Mo and Kelly Alzer with their child Logan, (left), and Amir and Sarah Abu-El-Hawa with their children Abe and Elijah.

Amir from Virginia: “I’m Palestinian. My family is from East Jerusalem. With everything that’s been going on over the last two years, I’ve felt helpless seeing the genocide happen. I’m looking for anything we can do to alleviate suffering that is going on.”

Rachel Donohue and her dog Bailey

Rachel (on behalf of Bailey): "Bailey’s a good boy, and he’s here to do his part and show up for Palestine."

Waqas Chaudhary and his daughter Myra: “It’s important to be part of the cause and support it. We talk about these causes as a family, and it’s important for the kids to see it firsthand and see that people outside the family support it. This is my third five-k.”

Samir Said, Samer Abu-Taleb, Hamza Ali and Ibrahim Ibrahim (from left to right).

Said: “We are here for Gaza. We are here to represent the Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia area. We all went to school together, and our families come from East Africa and the Middle East and have experienced conflict firsthand.”

Jann Archer (left) and Isabel Shaheen (right).

Archer, from the Washington DC area, said: “I love seeing so many people come together. Some of us are in different humanitarian organisations, but we are all here to support a free Palestine.”

Shaheen: “There’s an expression in the labour movement about bread and roses. People in Palestine need both bread and roses. People’s spirits and souls need to be cared for, which is the roses aspect, and why I support the work Unwra USA is doing here to raise money for mental health services.”

Rute Belachew, from Washington, DC: "I'm here because of what's happening in Gaza. It's even more critical because there's not a lot being done about it. What Israel is doing is colonisation. We know how terrible colonisation is. If no one stops them, I feel that they will know they can get away with anything, and other places are also at risk."

Runners cross the finish line at the Washington, DC, race for Gaza. Photo credit: Chaz Niell Photography.

Senior Unrwa USA communications director Laila Mokhiber told Middle East Eye this was the largest turnout for the race in Washington, DC, since they started in 2012.

"It just shows how the movement has grown since 2023, and it was bittersweet to see so many people, but also beautiful, because it's obviously a reflection of how many people are in solidarity with what's happening in Gaza and wanting to show up for the humanitarian needs of the people."

Mokhiber added it was important to remember that there has been a blockade in place for the last two months in Gaza, and people weren't sure if Unrwa has managed to continue their work there.

"The [Israeli] ban is not stopping the 16,000 medical consultations a day in Gaza alone, and the work of these counselors, all of whom are refugees themselves, trying to provide a space for children to have someone to talk to and to find ways to cope through this ongoing assault, because mental health is a human right, and these children are being subjected to the greatest horrors on earth paid for by our tax dollars.”