Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah, who also plays for Liverpool, has issued a call for an end to the ‘massacres’ taking place in Gaza and for the immediate allowance of humanitarian aid into the besieged Palestinian territory. This statement comes after a tragic explosion at the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 500 people. The cause of the explosion is disputed, with Palestinian authorities attributing it to an Israeli air raid while Israel claims it resulted from a rocket misfire by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) armed group.
In a video message shared with his 62.7 million Instagram followers, Salah expressed his concern over the escalating violence, stating that ‘the escalations in recent weeks are unbearable to witness. All lives are sacred and must be protected. The massacres need to stop, families are being torn apart.’ Salah, who captains Egypt’s national team and is a prominent figure in the Arab world, had faced criticism for not speaking out on the issue, prompting an online campaign to unfollow him on social media.
Gaza has been under siege since October 7, following an exchange of hostilities initiated by Hamas. The situation has resulted in significant casualties, with over 3,480 Palestinians confirmed killed in the attacks. US President Joe Biden’s visit to the region also included discussions about providing aid to Gaza, and Egypt has announced its intention to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Rafah crossing in the territory’s south.
Mohamed Salah concluded his message by calling on world leaders to unite in preventing further loss of innocent lives, emphasizing the urgent need for food, water, and medical supplies in Gaza and stating, ‘humanity must prevail.’
