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Hello and welcome to Spectator Out Loud. Every week, a few of our favourite writers read out their pieces from the magazine.

I'm Cindy Yu. On this week's episode, we have the journalist

Peter O'Born, who writes a letter from Jerusalem. We have Kate Andrews, a spectator's economics

editor on why Rishi Sunak has made her take up smoking. And finally, Jonathan Maitland, who talks

about his obsession with Martin Bashir. First is Peter Obern.

Six weeks ago, I invited Ahmed Alnuch,

a young diplomat who had recently joined the Palestinian mission in London,

to stay for a cricket weekend in Wiltshire.

He resisted all entreaties to play the game, but was in every other way a delightful

guest. On Sunday, Ahmed learnt that his family in Gaza has been wiped out by an Israeli bomb. His father,

siblings, and more than 15 nieces and nephews had all been killed. 23 dead, no injuries.

Another brother was killed by an Israeli bombing in 2014.

His mother died three years ago because he says,

Israel denied her medical treatment.

When I sent him a text message saying that he and his family were in my thoughts

and prayers, it felt hopeless, but what else can one say? He replied, my family is gone, Peter,

all of them, my father, brothers and sisters, and all their children, everyone is gone.

Because the health ministry says that the death toll from the Israeli bombing is now over

5,000, more than 2,000 of whom are children.

Those who die at once are fortunate.

Many endure slow deaths crushed in the rubble.

...