Hamilton says meeting children evacuated from Gaza 'broke my heart'
Photo: Race Pictures
Kieran is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs and feature content across the F1 calendar. An NQJ-qualified journalist with more than a decade of experience, he has previously written for publications including MailOnline, the Manchester Evening News and the Eastern Daily Press.
Lewis Hamilton says meeting Palestinian children evacuated from Gaza “broke my heart”, as he praised their resilience during a visit to Egypt.
The seven-time world champion travelled to Egypt's Rafah border crossing with Gaza this week, where he toured the Egyptian Red Crescent warehouses in Al-Arish, where aid for the Gaza Strip is prepared before it is sent across the border.
Now in his latest message on Instagram, Hamilton revealed that he met children evacuated from Gaza to Egypt. His visit included trips to a school, hospital and mental health clinic, where children are receiving help to process their trauma. He also visited families at home and heard about their recovery and separation from loved ones.
Hamilton posted on Thursday night: "Meeting some of the Palestinian children evacuated from Gaza and supported by @inaraorg in Egypt broke my heart.
"Beautiful, bright children who have faced trauma, grief and horrendous injuries, things no child should ever have to endure. Some have been shot or badly burned in attacks and are still facing a complicated road towards recovery. But what really struck me was how resilient they were and how much joy they seem to find in each other."
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Hamilton moved by children’s hopes for the future
The Ferrari driver described being moved by speaking to the children about their dreams, while also encouraging his followers to support humanitarian organisations and speak up for the children, while urging them to remember those still in Gaza.
He said: "When I asked about their dreams, they spoke about becoming teachers and doctors so they could help others, the way they were helped. After everything they’ve been through, they still imagine a future caring for other people. That has stayed with me.
"I met children at school, in hospital and at a mental health clinic helping them work through their trauma. I also went into families’ homes and listened to their stories of recovery and being separated from loved ones - their children, their parents, their siblings. The pain of that separation and uncertainty is hard to comprehend. Their stories made me think about the children still in Gaza, who are living in terrible conditions."
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