A growing list of high-profile footballers have voiced their support for the Palestinians in the ongoing escalation with Israel.
Soccer players from Leicester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Manchester City have shown support by raising a Palestinian flag.
It started on May 10 when Leicester City stars Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana held a Palestinian flag as their team celebrated winning the FA Cup Final.
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Palestinian Ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot commended them in a letter on behalf of the Palestinian people, in which he extended “our profoundest gratitude” for showing “solidarity with the plight of the Palestinian people.”
“One day, we hope Leicester Football Club will play in Jerusalem, the capital of the free state of Palestine,” he wrote on Twitter.
On Monday, May 17, Manchester United players Paul Pogba and Amad Diallo also joined the list by displaying a flag at the end of their game with Fulham.
In an Instagram post, Pogba called on his followers to “pray for Palestine” along with calls for peace.
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Other UK players have also shown support, including Manchester City’s Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez and Egyptian Liverpool’s forward Mohamed Salah.
Egyptian Mohamed Elneny, who plays for London-based team Arsenal, tweeted photos of the Al-Aqsa Mosque along with the message “My heart and my soul and my support for you Palestine.”
German Muslim star Mesut Ozil, who plays for Fenerbahçe SK, tweeted an edited photo showing a boy wearing his soccer shirt holding up a red card to an Israeli soldier.
At least 231 Palestinians have been killed, including 65 children and 38 women, in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since May 10, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said on Wednesday.
A ministry statement said 1,620 people have also been injured by the onslaught.