Gaza
Several elite footballers have publicly signalled their solidarity with the Palestinians, as the death toll from Israeli air raids mounts in Gaza.
At least 198 people in Gaza, including 58 children, have been killed since the violence erupted a week ago, according to the coastal enclave’s health ministry.
Alarmed by the bloodshed, footballers in the United Kingdom, Turkey, Chile and elsewhere have pledged support for the Palestinian people.
In a high-profile demonstration, Leicester City stars Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana held up the Palestinian flag as they celebrated their team’s victory in the UK’s FA Cup final on Saturday, at London’s Wembley Stadium, over Chelsea.
Images of the moment were shared widely on social media, with many quick to praise the two players, who hail from the UK and France respectively.
Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, said the gesture was “timely and appreciated”.
“Carrying the Palestinian flag on the stage of one of football’s most august cup competitions is a show of support that is reverberating all over Palestine,” Zomlot said in a letter addressed to the pair, shared in a post on Twitter.—Agencies
