Anwar El Ghazi, a former forward for Aston Villa and Everton, pledged on Friday to donate a third of a 1.27 million pound settlement to aid children in Gaza.
The donation follows a recent legal battle in which the 29-year-old sued his former club, Mainz 05, for wrongful dismissal.
El Ghazi, who recently signed with Cardiff City, was dismissed by Mainz last November after posting a controversial slogan on Instagram, according to a report from British media The Telegraph.
The post featured the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which the club interpreted as a call for the elimination of Israel. El Ghazi ultimately won the case against the Bundesliga club.
In a post on X, El Ghazi announced his intention to donate €500,000 of his settlement to projects supporting children in Gaza.
— Anwar El Ghazi (@elghazi1995) August 23, 2024
“My legal battle with Mainz has never been about money,” he wrote. “I hope Mainz, despite their repeated failed attempts to avoid making the due payment, take solace from the knowledge that they have, through me, contributed financially in trying to make life bearable for the children of Gaza.”
Mainz initially suspended El Ghazi following his October 17 post, made shortly after the start of Israel’s war on Gaza. The club terminated his contract after he refused to retract his statement, standing by his words in support of “humanity and the oppressed.”
El Ghazi joined Cardiff City just over three weeks ago on a one-year contract and is expected to make his debut for the Championship club this weekend.