Ed Sheeran Calls Situation in Gaza ‘Catastrophic and Unjustifiable’

British singer Ed Sheeran has publicly addressed the war in Gaza, saying the situation is “catastrophic and unjustifiable” during his first concert since controversy erupted over the removal of rapper Macklemore from his Loop Tour.

Sheeran made the remarks on Saturday, September 19, during his concert at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

The singer said he had previously avoided political commentary because he wanted his concerts to focus on unity and humanity rather than division and politics. However, he said he could no longer remain silent because he viewed the situation as a humanitarian issue.

Addressing the Israel-Gaza conflict, Sheeran acknowledged the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel and the attack on the Nova music festival, describing them as horrific and connected to the history of Jewish suffering.

He then turned to the situation in Gaza, saying the scale of civilian deaths and destruction had deeply affected him.

Sheeran also expressed concern about what he described as systemic injustice in the West Bank and said he was listening and learning because he did not consider himself sufficiently informed about every aspect of the conflict.

His comments came amid a major controversy surrounding his Loop Tour after Macklemore was removed from the U.S. leg following pro-Palestinian remarks during a September 4 performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Macklemore had expressed support for Palestinians and said “Free Palestine” during his performance.

Sheeran later said the decision to remove Macklemore was not made by him, while the tour promoter attributed the decision to venue concerns.

The controversy prompted several other artists associated with the tour to withdraw. Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and Irish folk band Beoga announced that they would no longer participate.

Sheeran told his Philadelphia audience that he wanted his concerts to remain places where people with different opinions could come together.

He said the songs performed at his shows are ultimately about love, hope and unity, despite disagreements among members of the audience.

The Philadelphia performance therefore marked a significant public statement from Sheeran on the conflict, following a week of controversy over Macklemore's removal and the subsequent departures of other tour artists.