Moroccan Soccer Star Ziyech Voices Support for Palestine on Social Media

Like his compatriot, Badr Hari, Moroccan kickboxing champion, Hakim Ziyech is taking a stand on the war between Israel and Hamas. The Moroccan international who plays as a right winger or attacking midfielder at Galatasaray SK, is expressing his solidarity with Palestine. He posted on his Instagram story the famous slogan: "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," accompanied by the emojis representing praying hands and the Palestinian flag.

The 30-year-old player also added the famous slogan to a quote from Malcolm X, the American Muslim and civil rights activist, which had been posted by another user of the same social network: "If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." A way for him to draw attention to the fact that the Palestinian people are the oppressed ones that the media and Westerners hate, and that Israel, who oppresses them, is the one they love.

Since the surprise and spectacular attack by Hamas and Israel’s retaliation, around 2,750 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and 9,700 others have been injured, according to the updated toll on Monday from the Gaza Health Ministry. As for the number of deaths in the enclave controlled by Hamas, it has risen to 2,215 dead, including 724 children, according to a latest report from the local authorities on Friday evening.