By: Khaled Tayeh
RAMALLAH, Tuesday, October 17, 2023 (WAFA) – It has been 18 days since Israel started a brutal aggression on the Gaza Strip, which has led, so far, to the killing of thousands of Palestinian civilians, injuring thousands of others, mass destruction of buildings, houses and infrastructure, as well as forcibly displacing 1.4 million people, who had to flee their homes and look for a safe space, if there is one, anyway.
The bloody aggression drew attention from the world, and while citizens globally went on marches and protests demanding a ceasefire and showing solidarity with Palestine and Gaza, athletes were quick to make statements condemning the war on civilians and asking their followers to support Palestinians.
French professional footballer Karim Benzema took it to his account on X (formerly known as Twitter) to show solidarity with Gaza’s residents amidst the Israeli airstrikes.
“All our prayers for the inhabitants of Gaza who are once again victims of these unjust bombings which spare no women or children,” Benzema said in a post.
Benzema’s post has garnered over 618,000 likes, 200,000 reposts, and almost 50 million views.
Liverpool forward, Egyptian player Mohamed Salah called for an end to the massacres against Palestinians in Gaza, adding that humanitarian aid must immediately be allowed into the besieged Gaza Strip.
Salah posted a video on his social media pages, making his first statements on the aggression against Gaza following backlash over staying silent since the war started.
"It's not always easy to speak in time like this, there has been too much violence and too much heartbreaking brutality… All lives are sacred and must be protected," Salah said. "The massacres need to stop; families are being torn apart. What's clear now is that humanitarian aid to Gaza must be allowed immediately. The people there are in terrible conditions."
Riyad Mahrez, an Algerian professional footballer who plays for Manchester City and the Algerian national team, showed solidarity with Palestine by holding the Palestinian flag in a post that he attached with the caption: “We want peace.”
Saudi national team and Al Hilal Club player, Salem Al-Dosari, posted a picture of the map of Palestine and al-Aqsa Mosque on Snapchat, while Egyptian national team player Mohamed Elneny, who plays for the English club Arsenal, also changed his profile picture on his social media pages and replaced it with the Palestinian flag.
Egyptian player Ahmed Hassan Koka, a professional in the Turkish club Pendikspor, posted a long message addressed to his friends in the West about Palestine, and published videos and pictures of what is happening in Gaza, on his account on X.
After winning a gold medal World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2023, Egyptian swimmer Abdelrahman Sameh refused to celebrate, making a statement to show solidarity with Palestinians.
The 23-year-old swimmer said that he was criticized for his support for Palestine.
“I have been getting death threats. People have been attacking me all week for supporting Palestine,” he said upon winning the gold medal. “My family goes to sleep, not knowing if someone is going to break into my room, if somebody is going to break into my apartment. They have to wonder every time I don’t pick up a call, ‘Is he busy, or is someone trying to kill him'?”
Moroccan player Nassir Mazraoui, who plays for the German club Bayern Munich, also expressed his support for Palestine, and posted a picture of Jerusalem on his Instagram account, accompanied by a verse from the Holy Quran, as an expression of his sympathy for the Palestinians and his support for them.
German star and former Real Madrid football club player, Mesut Ozil, posted, on his account on X, a message with a picture of the Palestinian flag, saying, “Praying for humanity, praying for peace and the innocent. Especially children... It is very heartbreaking and sad.”
The retired French player, Franck Ribery, expressed his solidarity with Palestine, publishing a photo of the Palestinian flag on his Story and captioned it with “Free Palestine.”
French player Jules Koundé, who plays for the Barcelona club, sent a message to his followers on what is happening in Palestine, in which he wrote, “Take the time to read the messages and listen to the entire video clips before responding and making hasty judgments, as this is very important.”
Egyptian IFBB professional bodybuilder Big Ramy showed solidarity with Palestinians by posting a picture of areas in Gaza in debris.
French player Nabil Fekir, the Spanish Real Betis player, posted a message on X that said: “Unwavering support for the people of Palestine... and our sisters who have suffered from apartheid for a long time. We hope that justice and peace will return.”
Players of the Moroccan national football team, Atlas Lions, including Hakim Ziyech, Noussair Mazraoui, Sofiane Boufal, Zakaria Abu Khalal, and Abdelhamid Sabri, also expressed their solidarity with Palestine and the Gaza Strip through posts on their accounts on social media platforms, in which they expressed their support for Gaza and their rejection of the Israeli bombing.
Jordanian player Musa al-Taamari, who plays for the French Montpellier club, expressed his solidarity with Palestine and posted a picture of him wearing both the Palestinian kuffiyeh and the Jordanian shemagh.
New Zealander player Sonny Bill Williams, one of the most prominent rugby stars, asked his followers on X to “pray for Gaza.”
American basketball legend Ray Allen supported Palestine by reposting a video on Instagram explaining the American media’s lies about the truth about what is happening in the Gaza Strip.
British Olympic boxing champion Amir Khan posted a message on his X account, saying, “So many people spoke up about these atrocities but as the world watches what is unfolding in Palestine, I see so many of my peers, friends and colleagues who are remaining silent. Why? It’s become apparent that people are scared to show their support for Palestine. Palestinian lives matter.”
K.T.
