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Doha – Dutch-Moroccan footballer Anwar El Ghazi has pledged to donate €500,000 ($560,000), one-third of the payout he received from Bundesliga club Mainz 05, to support children in Gaza.
The 29-year-old winger made the announcement on Friday via an X post.
“I would like to take this moment to thank Mainz for two things. Firstly, for the substantial financial pay-off, 500k of which will be used to fund projects for the children in Gaza,” El Ghazi wrote.
“I hope Mainz, despite their repeated failed attempts to avoid making the due payment, take solace from the knowledge that they have, through me, contributed financially in trying to make life a little more bearable for the children of Gaza.”
El Ghazi’s contract with Mainz was terminated in November 2023 after he was suspended the previous month for sharing posts on social media in support of Palestinians following the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza.
The posts included the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be liberated,” a Palestinian slogan referring to the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, which includes Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
In July, the Mainz Labor Court ruled that El Ghazi’s dismissal was invalid, stating that his comments were protected under freedom of expression.
The court ordered Mainz to pay El Ghazi’s wages for the past nine months, totaling €1.7 million, and to reinstate him.
According to the player, he has received a payment of €1.5 million from the club relating to his dismissal.
Mainz confirmed that they have made the court-ordered payment but plan to appeal the ruling after receiving the written judgment.
Reflecting on the court’s decision, El Ghazi added, “Secondly, in attempting to silence me, (they are) making my voice even louder for the oppressed and voiceless in Gaza.”
The former Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Lille, Aston Villa, and Everton player recently signed a one-year contract with Championship side Cardiff City as a free agent in August.
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have leveled much of Gaza, displacing nearly all of its inhabitants and killing at least 40,000, according to Palestinian health authorities.
The international community has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire and justice for the war crimes committed.
