Mural of rapper Macklemore painted in Gaza after Ed Sheeran tour furore

"Thank you for using your voice for Palestine," it reads."We wanted to send a message to thank rapper Macklemore ​in this simple way," said Anne Redwan, 26, who designed and painted the mural with fellow artist Qusai ⁠al-Helo."As an artist living under siege here in Gaza, we are waiting for support from anyone who can see (the) persecution we live under," she ​told Reuters.

"We can paint murals bigger than this to express our feelings."Macklemore, who has long supported Palestinian causes, was cut from British pop star Sheeran's ​musical lineup over remarks on stage criticizing Israel's military assault in Gaza, which was launched after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel in October 2023.Sheeran said he was unable to keep Macklemore on the tour after stadium owners refused to let him appear.

US billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts where his New England Patriots ​football team plays, said he had barred Macklemore from appearing there for antisemitism, which the rapper denies.Nearly a year after a ceasefire ended major ​fighting in Gaza, reconstruction has yet to begin.

Most buildings have been destroyed and more than two million residents are confined to around a third of the ‌enclave's territory, ⁠mostly in tents or crowded rooms in damaged buildings among the ruins.A US-brokered plan to end the war has stalled, with negotiators failing to agree conditions for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its troops.The furore over Sheeran's tour has led to a series of pledges from those….

Macklemore said on Wednesday he would donate his $1 million in net earnings from the tour to six aid groups supporting Gaza.Kraft, in turn, ​said Sheeran had told him he ​would donate $2 million for aid ⁠in the region, and had asked him to match the pledge.

Sheeran has not commented on any donations.

Macklemore's donation drew a matching $1 million pledge from Ms Rachel, a popular children's TV personality.Aid agency officials said the ​boost in celebrity attention could help bring more support to Gaza, where nearly all residents rely on ​aid for food, water, ⁠medical care and shelter."But what's really most important is that people who have been so generous keep funding over a sustained time," said Toby Fricker, a local official with….

"That's why we really call for sustained support, not one-off peaks, but sustained."Hussein Murtaja, who runs a Gaza humanitarian group that provides mental ⁠health support ​to children, said Macklemore's solidarity matters more than the money he donated."When artists of this ​stature, with this many followers or fans, all come to know more about the cause, and support reaching a political solution, support achieving peace for the people of Gaza…

That ​means a great deal to us."

Mural of rapper Macklemore painted in Gaza after Ed Sheeran tour furore Updated 22 seconds ago Macklemore pledges $1 million for Gaza, matched by children's TV personality Ms Rachel.