Ed Sheeran calls Gaza situation ‘unjustifiable’ after Macklemore exit furore - South China Morning Post

Associated PressPublished: 9:20am, 20 Sep 2026Updated: 2:21pm, 20 Sep 2026Ed Sheeran opened a concert on Saturday with comments about Gaza after controversy swirled around his tour and supporting acts withdrew in solidarity with opener Macklemore, who was dropped after making pro-Palestinian comments onstage.

Sheeran began the concert alone on stage with no opener, but was joined by other musicians later in the show.

Sheeran said he wanted his music and shows to be about unity and humanity, not politics.

But he said the attacks in Israel of October 7, 2023, were horrific and what was happening in Gaza “catastrophic and unjustifiable”.