Watch: Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah shares a message for peace in Gaza | Off the field News

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has made a passionate plea to end the violence he described as “massacres” in Gaza and emphasized the immediate need for humanitarian aid to be allowed into the besieged Palestinian territory.
Salah shared a video message on his social media platforms, marking his first public comments on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. His decision to break his silence came after facing criticism in his home country, Egypt, for not addressing the issue for over a week.
The Gaza health ministry reported that since October 7, at least 3,478 Palestinians have lost their lives and 12,065 have been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. This escalation began when the Palestinian militant group Hamas entered Israeli towns, resulting in the deaths of 1,400 people and the taking of hundreds of hostages.

On Tuesday, Egyptian aid trucks moved closer to the Rafah border crossing with Gaza, though it remained uncertain when or if they would be allowed to enter the enclave. Egypt sought security guarantees from Israel after the border area was subjected to shelling four times.
The Israeli government stated on Wednesday that it would not obstruct aid from entering Gaza via Egypt, but it stressed that supplies would not be permitted to reach Hamas.
“It’s not always easy to speak in time like this, there has been too much violence and too much heartbreaking brutality … All lives are sacred and must be protected,” Salah said.
“The massacres need to stop; families are being torn apart. What’s clear now is that humanitarian aid to Gaza must be allowed immediately. The people there are in terrible conditions.”
In the past week, many Egyptian football fans have expressed criticism towards Salah, believing that he should have spoken out in support of the Palestinians. Some even initiated an online campaign to unfollow him on social media platforms.
The criticism aimed at the 31-year-old intensified when a devastating explosion occurred at a Gaza hospital on Tuesday, resulting in the loss of hundreds of Palestinian lives. Both Hamas and Israel engaged in a blame game, each accusing the other of responsibility for the incident.
“The Scenes at the hospital last night were horrifying. The people of Gaza need food, water and medical supplies urgently,” Salah added.
“I’m calling on the world leaders to come together to prevent further slaughter of innocent souls. Humanity must prevail.”
Salah has netted six goals in 10 outings for Liverpool across all competitions this season, with five of those goals coming in the Premier League.
(With Reuters inputs)