Pop star Ed Sheeran has spoken out about the war in Gaza, describing the situation as “catastrophic, unjustifiable and disproportionate” during his solo concert in Philadelphia, US.
Opening his first solo show after the controversy surrounding rapper Macklemore’s removal from his US tour, Sheeran said he was “appalled” by the conflict between Israel and Palestine and described the suffering as a “human tragedy.”
“I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind, because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division,” Sheeran told the audience.
However, he said the situation had become a humanitarian issue that he could no longer remain silent about.
“But this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore,” he said.
Sheeran also condemned the October 7 attack in Israel, describing it as horrific and acknowledging the historical suffering of Jewish people.
At the same time, he expressed concern over the scale of destruction and civilian deaths in Gaza.
“What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable, and disproportionate,” Sheeran said.
He added that the loss of civilian and children’s lives, as well as what he described as “systemic injustice” in the West Bank, could not be ignored.
The comments came after Sheeran faced criticism over Macklemore’s departure from his US tour. Macklemore had publicly called for a “Free Palestine”, while Sheeran said stadium owners had refused to allow the rapper to perform.
The controversy intensified after some of Sheeran’s opening acts and members of his band reportedly left the tour in solidarity with Macklemore.
