The public reaction to their statements has been mixed.
Former Real Madrid striker and recipient of the Ballon d'Or, Karim Benzema, voiced his thoughts on the ongoing military conflict between Israel and Palestine on his social media page, as reported by Sarbaz.kz citing Tengri Sport.
"We pray for the people of Gaza, who have once again become victims of these unjust bombings that spare neither women nor children," wrote the Frenchman, who currently plays for the Saudi club Al-Ittihad.
Benzema's statement stirred a mixed reaction in France and the football world. French politician Nadine Morano referred to the footballer as a "propaganda agent for HAMAS," while former Israeli national team goalkeeper Dudu Aouate, who previously played for Racing, Deportivo, and Mallorca, insulted Benzema by calling him a "son of a [derogatory term]."
In support of Palestine, another former Real Madrid star, Mesut Ozil, expressed his thoughts:
"I pray for humanity. I pray for peace. Innocent people, especially innocent children, die in war - on both sides. It's heart-wrenching and sad. Please, stop the war!" he wrote on social media.
Ozil accompanied his words with emojis of the Palestinian flag and shared an image with the flags of Turkey and Palestine along with the hashtag #FreePalestine
