Lewis Hamilton says ‘Israel’s genocide in Gaza is appalling’ after Rafah visit
- F1 driver urges Israel to let aid into Gaza
- Trip involved tour of facilities with aid workers
Agencies and Guardian sportThu 12 Nov 2026 18.00 GMTShare
Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton said on Wednesday that Israel must allow aid trucks into Gaza, a day after he visited the Rafah border crossing in Egypt.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, arrived in El Arish on Tuesday, where he was briefed on how aid is prepared and coordinated before it is sent into Gaza, as he toured the Rafah crossing and the Egyptian Red Crescent’s aid warehouses.
Lewis Hamilton visits Egypt’s Rafah crossing and Gaza aid facilitiesRead more
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.
“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,” the Ferrari driver wrote on Instagram.
Israel strongly denies accusations of genocide and says its military campaign in Gaza targets Hamas militants.
Hamilton described seeing food trucks lined up and ready to go at the border that were regularly held up or faced major delays.
“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,” he said in the post. “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.
“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.”
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/nov/12/lewis-hamilton-gaza-visit-rafah-israel
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