In a powerful blend of music and activism, veteran folk singer-songwriter Billy Bragg released “Hundred Year Hunger,” a protest anthem addressing the Gaza famine crisis, in early September 2025. The song coincided with the launch of the Global Sumud Flotilla, an initiative comprising 20 vessels attempting to break the Israeli naval blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid after previous attempts in June and July were blocked by Israeli forces.
Bragg’s composition, featuring his distinctive guitar work and vocals alongside JJ Stoney on keyboards, was recorded at Echo Town Studio in Dorset under Jamie Parker’s engineering expertise. The production deliberately maintained a stripped-down folk protest style, emphasizing the song’s direct political message about food insecurity in Gaza. By releasing this advocacy-focused work, Bragg demonstrates how musicians can leverage sync licensing opportunities while supporting humanitarian causes. All proceeds from the track support the Amos Trust’s Gaza Appeal, continuing the organization’s 40-year history of activism through artistic expression.
The title “Hundred Year Hunger” derives from Mark E. Windle’s recent book examining historical and ongoing food insecurity in Gaza, framing the current famine as the culmination of a century of enforced malnutrition beginning with British imperialism and continuing through Israeli policies. Bragg shared this historical perspective on Instagram posts that critiqued both past and present government actions contributing to the humanitarian crisis. Bragg’s lyrics position food deprivation as a weapon of mass displacement, connecting contemporary humanitarian issues with longstanding colonial legacies in the region.
On September 20, 2025, Bragg hosted the “Days Like These” benefit concert at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire, featuring fellow artists like Billy Nomates in a show of solidarity from the UK music scene. The event served to raise additional funds for Palestinian aid while increasing public awareness of the crisis. Brian Eno praised the initiative as a crucial example of artistic resistance when governmental action has fallen short. Bragg’s team executed a strategic pre-save campaign ahead of the single’s release to maximize its initial impact across streaming platforms.
The song has become a cultural rallying cry for the Sumud Flotilla, which counts prominent activists including Greta Thunberg and actor Liam Cunningham among its supporters. “Sumud,” an Arabic term meaning steadfastness or perseverance, reflects the nonviolent resistance ethos that Bragg’s anthem aims to amplify as it challenges the historical forces behind Gaza’s current humanitarian emergency.
