Pep Guardiola sends powerful message on Gaza

Pep Guardiola, the former Manchester City coach, recorded a direct video appeal about the humanitarian situation in Gaza that was shared online on October 18, 2026 by UNRWA Spain.

Guardiola urges continued attention and support

In the short clip Guardiola describes the suffering he observed in Gaza and calls on the public not to look away. “We are living through a very dark time in our history. We see girls and boys in Gaza searching for their parents among the rubble. Ask for help. Suffering from hunger. To be left alone. We watch them lose everything before they’ve even had a chance to grow up. And the hell continues, and with it, the dehumanisation of the Palestinian people. Their lives matter as much as ours. Their pain is not unfamiliar. Let’s not forget. Solidarity with Palestine cannot take a break. Neither can our responsibility…”

Guardiola also delivered an explicit accusation about civilian casualties and the flow of aid: “To this day the Israeli government has killed more than 74,000 people in Gaza and continues to impede the entry of humanitarian aid.”

Earlier in his message he emphasized that victims are individuals, not statistics: “They are not dead, they were murdered. They are not just numbers. They are lives that had a name, a face and a family. They had dreams and memories. They are not just collateral damage. They are girls and boys.”

Guardiola closed by urging people to keep speaking up and to support UNRWA if possible: “Keep speaking about Palestine. Keep defending humanity from indifference. If you can, please support UNRWA so we can continue providing assistance to those who need it most.”

The video was shared widely on social media, including a repost by City Xtra on October 18, 2026. Guardiola’s intervention adds to a string of public statements from figures in sport and culture about the crisis, and comes amid ongoing debate over humanitarian access and civilian tolls in Gaza.

Photo: press material from the event