Cycling for Gaza charity bike ride raises nearly $1million as it sets off from Basque Country

The latest edition of 'Cycling for Gaza (C4G)' campaign is now in its second day in Spain's autonomous Basque Country, aiming to highlight the humanitarian situation in Gaza and raise funds in an initiative which has drawn participants from across the world.

C4G – an annual event since 2009 - takes place this year against the backdrop of Israel's ongoing genocidal war on Gaza and the intensification of the suffering of the Palestinians there who continue to be starved and bombed by Israel.

The horrific situation has seen participants in the ride strive to maximise their efforts to raise donations - with this year's total reaching more than $900,000 so far.

The cyclists set off from San Sebastian on Wednesday and will continue for three more days. They are expected to cover a distance of 360km in the Basque region of Spain.  

The ride passes through Pamplona and the Basque regional capital Vitoria alongside other towns and cities where locals have planned activities to welcome the participants, such as by greeting them with Palestinian flags.

On Wednesday night for example, hundreds of citizens from Pamplona greeted the cyclists with warm applause as they arrived in the city's central square. Several welcoming speeches were also made by Pamplona residents, who affirmed their solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Salwa Abu Warde, a C4G participant, also spoke about the initiative, thanking the city's residents for "this warm welcome that gives hope that Palestine will be free".

She also stressed the importance of international solidarity with Palestine today, in light of what she described as the "brutal Israeli genocide against the people of Gaza, who are facing the most savage forms of killing".

The Basque Country has seen continuous protests in solidarity with the Palestinians and against Israel's war in the Gaza Strip, which is widely acknowledged as a genocide.

During last month's famous La Vuelta a España cycling race, one of the biggest cycling races in the international calendar, pro-Palestinian protests erupted due to the participation of an Israeli team, which led to the final stage of the race being abandoned near Bilbao due to the tensions.

A number of Palestinians living in Arab countries and Europe are taking part in C4G this year. Participant Osama Fattaleh told The New Arab: "This is the least we can do for Palestine," adding, "the atmosphere here is encouraging, and the people in Spain support the Palestinian cause. We thank them with all our appreciation."

Cyclist Saad Darwazah explained that this was "the fifteenth edition of the Gaza fundraising bike ride, and it has been a huge success, as we were able to raise nearly a million dollars for Gaza. We are happy to be in Spain and the Basque Country, as there is a very supportive atmosphere for Gaza and our cause".

Italian participant Nadia said she "believes in using sport as a way to bring people together and achieve peace," and that she was participating in this initiative for the first time because she wants to show "solidarity and concern, raise awareness of what is happening in Palestine, and also raise donations for Palestinians in Gaza."

Each year, C4G organisers choose a charity to which they donate the funds raised by the campaign, all of which aim to support Palestinians in Gaza.

Awatef Sheikh, co-founder of the Ajyal Foundation, which is partnering C4G for the second year, said: "International institutions have a crucial role to play in these circumstances, given the absence of government action in halting the genocide and their lack of support for our besieged people, who are being subjected to brutal genocide by the occupying state [Israel]."

She added: "International institutions must have a strong and united voice in the face of the silence surrounding what is happening in Gaza, and demand that governments cease their overt and covert support for [Israel] and take the necessary measures in accordance with international law, as international law has mechanisms for intervention to stop the genocide in Gaza."

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.