Dutch footballer Anwar El Ghazi has announced he will donate €500,000 of his recent settlement to support children in Gaza.
This amount represents one-third of the total sum he received from Mainz 05 after a German court ruled that his contract termination was unjust.
El Ghazi’s contract with Mainz was terminated in November 2023, a month after the Bundesliga club suspended him for a social media post expressing solidarity with Palestinians during the intensifying Israel-Hamas conflict.
The termination followed a period of heightened violence, including Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023, which led to a severe military response and substantial casualties on both sides.
The German Labour Court’s ruling last month deemed Mainz’s action as wrongful and mandated compensation for the nine months’ wages owed to El Ghazi, amounting to €1.7 million. The footballer received a payout of €1.5 million from the club.
In his statement on social media, El Ghazi emphasized that the legal dispute was never about financial gain.
“After receiving a substantial payment today from Mainz I would like to make clear that my legal battle with Mainz has never for me been about money. I would like to take this moment to thank Mainz for two things, firstly for the substantial financial payoff 500k of which will be used to fund projects for the children in Gaza I hope Mainz despite their repeated failed attempts to avoid making the due payment takes solace from the knowledge that they have through me contributed financially in trying to make life a little more bearable for the children of Gaza. Secondly in attempting to silence me making my voice even louder for the oppressed and voiceless in Gaza.” he wrote on his X account.
Instead, he expressed gratitude to Mainz for the compensation, which he plans to use to support humanitarian projects in Gaza.
He also highlighted that the controversy surrounding his dismissal has amplified his commitment to advocating for those affected by the conflict.
El Ghazi, who has recently joined Cardiff City, expressed hope that his donation would bring some relief to Gaza’s children, despite the broader geopolitical and humanitarian crises unfolding in the region.