Ed Sheeran calls Israel's treatment of Gazans 'unjustifiable,' apologizes for Macklemore controversy

Ed Sheeran addressed a recent controversy during his Philadelphia concert on Saturday, apologizing to fans for his remarks on Palestine. The English singer-songwriter admitted he had made mistakes and expressed his inability to avoid being a political commentator. Despite acknowledging the horrific nature of the October 7 Hamas attack, Sheeran called what is happening in Gaza "catastrophic and unjustifiable, and disproportionate."

He revealed he was considering contributing to aid the victims and learning from his mistakes, as he felt he lacked sufficient knowledge on the subject.

Macklemore's removal from the tour followed his controversial comments at a show, where he said "Free Palestine." This prompted a petition from the Israeli-American Council and objections from some venue owners, including billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium. Sheeran disclosed that several stadium owners had refused to host shows if Macklemore remained on the bill. Sheeran explained that the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the promoters, not him.