Pep Guardiola's Powerful Plea: Don't Forget Gaza, Support UNRWA

Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a heartfelt video appeal for the UN refugee agency UNRWA, urging the global community not to overlook the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The video, released by UNRWA Spain on Sunday, emphasizes the need for continued solidarity and encourages donations to the agency.

Guardiola stated, “They are not statistics,” referring to the victims, and described them as individuals with “names and faces, families, dreams and memories.” He continued, “They are not collateral damage. They are girls and boys.” He cautioned that adopting language that obscures suffering diminishes our shared humanity.

The appeal vividly portrays children in Gaza desperately searching for their parents amidst the rubble, enduring hunger, and facing abandonment. “We see them lose everything before they have even had the chance to grow up,” he remarked. Guardiola rejected the notion that the suffering of Palestinians is distant from the rest of the world, asserting, “Their lives matter just as much as ours.” He concluded this thought by stating, “Solidarity with Palestine cannot take a break. Neither can our responsibility.”

According to health authorities in Gaza, the Israeli military has killed over 74,000 Palestinians in the territory since the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The video also draws attention to the decades of displacement and violence experienced by Palestinian refugees.

“We deeply admire the resilience of the Palestinian people. But they should not have to be resilient,” Guardiola stated. “No child should grow up learning how to survive before learning how to live.” Israel initiated its military offensive in Gaza following the Hamas-led October 7 attacks, which Israeli authorities report resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and around 250 hostages taken. Gaza’s health ministry indicates that more than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed since a ceasefire took effect in October 2025.

UNRWA, founded in 1949, provides essential healthcare, protection, and aid to refugees, while also preserving their history and identity. The agency has operations in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Israel has prohibited the agency from operating within its territory, citing alleged links to Hamas, an accusation that UNRWA denies.

“Silence today is a way of taking sides, but we cannot look the other way,” Guardiola urged. “Palestine matters, and Palestine needs justice and peace.”

Guardiola concluded his tenure as Manchester City manager at the close of the last season, following a decade that saw the club achieve 17 major trophies, including six Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League crown.