Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has visited Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip to meet organizations sending humanitarian aid to the territory.
Humanitarian Advocacy and Border Tour
Hamilton has previously spoken out about regional conflicts and humanitarian crises while calling for peace. He has frequently used social media to highlight children killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and to advocate for a ceasefire.
Speaking in October, Hamilton stated that people need to ensure they are pushing to free Congo, Sudan, Syria, and Palestine, adding that he hopes for peace to be achieved at some stage.
During his visit, Hamilton toured Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza and visited logistics warehouses operated by the Egyptian Red Crescent, which facilitates the entry of aid into Gaza. At the crossing, he greeted aid workers by saying “Assalamu alaikum,” shook hands, and briefly spoke with workers and officials.
Khaled Megawer, the governor of North Sinai where Rafah is located, stated that the visit was intended to help Hamilton learn about Egypt’s efforts to send aid to Gaza.
Regional Context and Recent Milestones
A ceasefire agreement reached last year halted major combat operations in Gaza, though the volume of aid entering the territory continues to fall far short of the agreed-upon minimum of 600 trucks daily.
Meanwhile, an independent commission of UN experts reported last month that Israeli forces have continued advancing, expanding their control from 53% of the territory to at least 60%. The commission added that airstrikes and Israeli fire along the advancing front have killed at least 196 Palestinians, including 18 women, 32 boys, and 11 girls.
Hamilton’s visit follows his 400th race start on Sunday at the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos. As the first Black F1 driver, he debuted with McLaren in 2007 and is only the second driver to reach 400 starts, following former teammate Fernando Alonso, who achieved the milestone in 2024.
