Ed Sheeran calls Israel’s treatment of Gazans ‘unjustifiable’ 

British singer Ed Sheeran called Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in Gaza “catastrophic and unjustifiable” during his Philadelphia concert on Saturday, as he addressed the controversy surrounding the removal of rapper Macklemore from his US tour.

Speaking at Lincoln Financial Field, Ed Sheeran said, “What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate.”

“Our hearts have been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians’ lives, children’s lives, and the systemic injustice we’re seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked,” he said.

The concert marked Ed Sheeran’s first performance since Macklemore was removed from his Loop Tour after declaring “Free Palestine” at a New Jersey concert earlier this month. The decision drew criticism from several supporting acts, four of whom subsequently left the tour in solidarity with the rapper.

Ed Sheeran has denied being responsible for Macklemore’s removal, instead attributing the decision to the tour promoter. He apologised to the Philadelphia audience during Saturday’s concert.

“I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so so sorry,” Ed Sheeran said, as the audience responded with cheers.

Later in the show, he described the week as the “hardest of my life” and said he had feared people would “throw things” at him. He thanked the audience for their support and called the concert the “best night” of his life.

Ed Sheeran also criticised the idea of venues pre-approving the content of performances, saying he was “deeply worried” about the practice.

“This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world,” he said.

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered peacefully outside Lincoln Financial Field before the concert, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Free, free Palestine”.

Some fans said they had hesitated about attending the concert because of the controversy but ultimately decided to go ahead.

“He could have easily walked away from all of this, and he stood up, and he spoke up,” one fan said after the show.

Others chose not to attend. Brandon Ateke, an 18-year-old Brown University student, accused Ed Sheeran of “complicity” with stadium owners and others in silencing Macklemore.

“I decided to not attend the concert and instead attend the protest to bring light to the genocide going on in Gaza today,” he said.

The stadium was close to capacity despite an increase in ticket resales and a sharp fall in prices during the week.

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) also called on artists, fans and crew members to stay away from Ed Sheeran’s concerts.

“We now extend our call for boycotting Ed Sheeran’s entire world tour, including the upcoming Latin American dates, and the as-yet-unannounced European leg,” the group said.

Ed Sheeran began Saturday’s concert alone on stage, without an opening act. He later brought on five musicians who he said had learned his songs in three days.

Thanking them for joining him, he said they had come “in a week when no one wants to stand on stage with me”.

The acts that withdrew from the tour included Ed Sheeran’s backing band and singer Finneas, who rose to fame through collaborations with his sister Billie Eilish.

The controversy surrounding Ed Sheeran and Macklemore comes as the war in Gaza continues to feature prominently in discussions across the international entertainment industry, including at major music and film events.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, which is under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations, more than 73,800 people have been killed in the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

Gaza authorities said on Saturday that the latest Israeli fire had killed at least four people, including a 10-year-old girl.