‘We Really Need To Put Pressure on Israel’: Lewis Hamilton Appeals for Relief Aid To Pass Into Gaza

F1 superstar Lewis Hamilton has appealed for relief aid to be allowed to pass into Gaza, as he called on the international community to ‘put pressure on Israel’ to make this happen. The Briton, who visited Rafah on Tuesday, said in an interview that he has witnessed a large amount of aid from the Egyptian Red Crescent ready to be deployed into the Gaza Strip, but the border remains closed.

“I’m here with the Egyptian Red Crescent as they load these boxes containing aid they have prepared to send to Gaza. They went to the Rafah border today, accompanied by their wonderful volunteers. They’re fully ready to be deployed,” Hamilton said.

“So we really need to put pressure on Israel to reopen the crossing from the Palestinian side, because not enough trucks are getting through each day,” he added.

On Tuesday, Hamilton paid a visit to the Egyptian Red Crescent supply warehouses in Rafah, which is the site of the Rafah border crossing, the only crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Hamilton also met with the relief workers working in the border crossing region.

Hamilton has long been vocal about more relief aid needing to be allowed into Gaza, as he recently also called for a ‘Free Palestine’ during a press conference ahead of the US Grand Prix in October.

Lewis Hamilton Appeals for Pressure on Israel as He Says People of Gaza in ‘Urgent Need’ of Aid

Hamilton also reiterated that people from around the world must put as much pressure as possible on Israel to open the Palestinian border. He added that the people of Gaza and Palestine are currently in more of an ‘urgent need’ than ever before of relief aid that is ready for them at the Rafah border.

“The people in Gaza and Palestine are in such urgent need that they could hardly need this aid more than they do right now. So we really must apply pressure and work together to ensure this aid gets there,” said Hamilton.

“There is a great deal of it, and this center is just one of several different sites that also contain such wonderful supplies, full of food, medicine, and things that individuals and families in Palestine really need,” he added.

Hamilton also visited Jordan back in January this year and had urged for more humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza via an Instagram post. The 41-year-old visited hospitals and aid centers during his trip to the Asian country 10 months ago, as he commended the doctors and aid workers for their work in Palestine.

Lewis Hamilton Meets Palestinian Children in Educational Center Visit in Egypt

Hamilton also visited an educational center in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday, which is operated by the International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance (INARA). The 41-year-old met with Palestinian children who were evacuated from Gaza and are currently refugees in Egypt.

INARA is a non-profit charity founded in 2015 that provides rehabilitative care to children impacted by war and natural disasters. The organization also operates a healthcare center inside Gaza alongside the aforementioned educational hub in Cairo.

During his trip to Egypt, Hamilton also met with Governor of North Sinai Khaled Megawer. Megawer noted that Hamilton talked to him about the Egyptian Red Crescent and other Egyptian relief organizations’ work in Palestine.

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