In a call to end the devastating violence in the Israeli-Hamas conflict, Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah has called for an immediate halt to the ongoing massacres and the urgent allowance of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The situation has reached a boiling point, with hundreds of Palestinian civilians dying in a massive explosion at a Gaza City hospital.
As supplies of essential resources like water and food dwindle, concerns continue to mount.
Both Israel and Hamas have presented conflicting accounts of the tragedy, but the toll is unquestionably severe, with at least 500 lives feared lost.
In a bid to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation, Israel has announced its willingness to permit Egypt to deliver limited quantities of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
This move comes in response to the siege imposed on the region following the incursion by Hamas on Oct. 7.
Salah, who has already made a substantial undisclosed donation through his agent to support the people of Gaza, took to social media with a powerful video message.
He described the scenes at the Gaza City hospital as "horrifying" and implored world leaders to take action to prevent further loss of innocent lives.
Salah's message resounded with a call for peace and compassion: "It is not always easy to speak in times like this. There has been too much violence and too much heartbreak and brutality. 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. What is clear now is humanitarian aid to Gaza must be allowed immediately. The people there are in terrible conditions. The scenes at the hospital last night were horrifying. The people of Gaza need food, water and medical supplies urgently. I am calling on the world leaders to come together to prevent the further slaughter of innocent souls – humanity must prevail."
Last week, the U.K. government encouraged sports organizations in the U.K. to pay respects to the victims of the recent violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip.
This compassionate gesture aimed to acknowledge the human toll of the conflict.
In response, the English Football Association chose not to illuminate the Wembley arch with the colors of the Israeli flag during England's friendly against Australia.
Instead, England players wore black armbands, and a moment of silence was observed before the match, paying homage to "the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine."
To prevent the escalating Middle East conflict from spilling into the sporting arena, it has been decided that Israel and Palestine flags will not be allowed into Premier League stadiums from this weekend.
The ban on the Star of David flag and the flag of Palestine is intended to ensure that top-flight football grounds remain neutral amid a highly charged and sensitive international situation.