Lewis Hamilton calls ‘Israel’s genocide in Gaza is appalling’ after visit to Rafah crossing
Lewis Hamilton said on Wednesday that "Israel’s genocide in Gaza is appalling" after visiting the Rafah border crossing in Egypt the previous day and urged Israel to allow aid trucks into Gaza.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, arrived in El Arish on Tuesday and was briefed on how aid is prepared and coordinated before being sent into Gaza; he toured the Rafah crossing and the Egyptian Red Crescent’s aid warehouses. He has frequently posted on social media about children killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and called for a ceasefire. A ceasefire agreement reached last year has halted major combat operations in Gaza, but the amount of aid reaching the territory continues to fall far short of the agreed-upon minimum of 600 trucks a day.
Posting on Instagram, Hamilton wrote: "The past three years of Israel’s genocide in Gaza is appalling. It’s an injustice for people to be denied their freedom, their safety and their dignity. No human being should be treated as though their life matters less." Israel strongly denies accusations of genocide and says its military campaign in Gaza targets Hamas militants.
He described scenes at the border in his post: "I saw walls stretching for miles, built to keep them in. Standing there, outside what felt like an open-air prison, all I could think about was getting in to help." Hamilton added: "At the Rafah border, I saw food trucks lined up ready to go, but they’re regularly not allowed in or face major delays. The first driver in line that I spoke to had already been waiting over 12 hours. At the nearby logistics centre, I saw the hard work of the aid workers, but I also saw what gets rejected for crazy reasons. Sleeping bags, first aid kits, medical equipment, wheelchairs even footballs for kids."
Hamilton also wrote: "Israel needs to fulfil its obligations under the ceasefire and let the aid trucks in. I know so many people feel that same helplessness. That same need to do something rather than just watch. No excuse. I don’t want us to get used to their suffering. I don’t want us to look away." At the crossing on Tuesday he greeted aid workers with "Assalamu alaikum", shook hands and briefly spoke to workers and officials.
Hamilton, 41, is an advocate for humanitarian causes and founded Mission 44 in 2021, a charity that supports young people and works to improve their access to education and employment. Last month he said: "I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine," and added: "I think there’s a lot of peace that I’m hoping we get to at some stage."
Hamilton sits fourth in the drivers’ championship while Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli has won the title with three races to go. The next race on the calendar is the Las Vegas Grand Prix on 21 November, followed by the Qatar Grand Prix on 29 November and the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 6 December.