Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton condemns Israel after visiting Egyptian side of Rafah crossing

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton condemned Israel over its war in Gaza after visiting the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday, where he met with Egyptian officials and toured a Red Crescent logistics center.

The 41-year-old British racing star, who has millions of social media followers, shared his impressions of the visit on Instagram, accusing Israel of genocide and calling on the country to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. His comments add to a series of public statements in which he has criticized Israel and expressed support for the Palestinian cause.

Hamilton visited the crossing alongside Egyptian officials, including North Sinai Governor Khaled Megawer, and toured a Red Crescent warehouse in Rafah.

“The past three years of Israel’s genocide in Gaza is appalling,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram. He described seeing “walls stretching for miles, built to keep them in” and food trucks waiting to enter Gaza, with one driver telling him he had been waiting more than 12 hours.

He also criticized restrictions on aid deliveries, saying he saw supplies rejected, including “Sleeping bags, first aid kits, medical equipment, wheelchairs, even footballs for kids.”

"Israel needs to fulfill its obligations under the ceasefire and let the aid trucks in. No excuse," he said.

Hamilton did not publicly address Egypt’s refusal to allow Palestinians from Gaza to enter the country to seek refuge during the war.

Hamilton is one of the most recognizable figures in international sports, has won multiple Formula One world championships and was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2020.

Beyond racing, he has used his platform to advocate for animal rights, veganism, environmental causes and the Black Lives Matter movement.

In 2021, he founded Mission 44, a charity that supports young people seeking greater access to education and employment.

Hamilton has increasingly voiced support for Palestinians in recent weeks, declaring his support for a “Free Palestine” during a press conference ahead of the U.S. Grand Prix. He has also criticized the governments of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. At the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, he wore a helmet featuring the LGBTQ flag to protest the country's laws criminalizing homosexuality.

Despite his repeated public criticism of Israel, Hamilton has never visited the country, though he has traveled to several other Middle Eastern countries.