George Boanas, 26, set off in early May from Cape Sata, located at southern tip of Kyushu, aiming to run length of Japan and finish at Cape Soya in northern Hokkaido, reports media
A New Zealand man is running more than 2,400 kilometers (1,491 miles) alone across Japan to raise funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians, the NZ Herald reported on Sunday.
George Boanas, 26, set off in early May from Cape Sata, located at the southern tip of Kyushu, aiming to run the length of Japan and finish at Cape Soya in northern Hokkaido.
Although he has limited experience with long-distance running, George has long contemplated taking on a challenge of this scale.
He launched a JustGiving fundraising campaign to support Palestinians affected by one of the world's most severe ongoing humanitarian crises amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The donations will go to Medical Aid for Palestinians, a UK-based charity founded in 1982. The organization delivers health care to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza and refugees in Lebanon.
It also advocates for the right to health and dignity for Palestinians, in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and focuses on training medical professionals, strengthening local healthcare systems, and filling service gaps.
George discovered the charity through social media and has been interested in supporting the Palestinian cause for several months.
Israel continues to block the entry of more than 3,000 health aid trucks into Gaza, worsening an already catastrophic humanitarian situation.
Since March 2, Israel has kept all border crossings shut, cutting off the entry of food, medicine, fuel, and other essential supplies for Gaza's 2.4 million residents.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, resulting in the deaths of nearly 54,400 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children. Aid agencies have warned of the risk of famine among the enclave's more than 2 million residents.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.
