Footballer fired over pro-Palestine views sets up charity match for Gaza children

Anwar El Ghazi, who was fired by German team Mainz last year over a post in solidarity with Palestinians, has announced that he will co-host a charity football match raising funds for children in Gaza. 

The Children of Gaza match will see a team of former and current professional footballers headed up by El-Ghazi take on a team organised by Nujum Sports, a UK-based organisation which assists Muslim athletes. The match will be held in London on 1 June.

"Nujum Sports thanks all our athletes who are currently playing professional football and coming out of retirement to add their ‘boots’ to this amazing endeavour," the organisation's founder, Ebadur Rahman, said on Thursday. 

"A special thank you goes out to Anwar El Ghazi for championing this initiative and for his courage in speaking out against injustice and advocating for all Palestinian children."

El-Ghazi's contract with Mainz was terminated in November, days after the Dutch footballer wrote a social media post which included the popular phrase "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free". 

While some pro-Israeli voices claim the slogan calls for the destruction of Israel, Palestinian activists maintain that it refers to an end to Israeli human rights abuses and occupation. 

At the time, El-Ghazi responded to the termination of his contract by stating: "Stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone.

"The loss of my livelihood is nothing when compared to the hell being unleashed on the innocent and vulnerable in Gaza #stopthekilling."