We have left them alone, abandoned: Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola on Gaza crisis
Barcelona: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on Thursday delivered a strongly worded speech condemning what he described as the “silence of global leaders” over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying Palestinians had been “left alone and abandoned”.
Guardiola was speaking at the ‘Act X Palestine’ benefit concert held at the Palau Sant Jordi arena in Barcelona, his birth city. The event was organised to raise funds for humanitarian aid and cultural reconstruction in Palestine.
Addressing a packed audience, the Catalan coach took to the stage draped in a traditional black-and-white scarf and opened his remarks with “Good evening”, followed by the Islamic greeting “Assalamualaikum”. Known for his outspoken views on human rights issues, Guardiola said the images emerging from Gaza over the past two years had deeply affected him, particularly those involving children separated from or searching for their parents amid the destruction.
Referring to widely circulated videos and photographs, he spoke about children recording themselves from beneath rubble and asking where their mothers were, saying many of them still do not know whether their parents are alive. According to international media reports, Guardiola described the situation as the result of “decades of oppression” and criticised world leaders for failing to act.
“I think we have left them alone, abandoned,” he said, adding that Palestinians must be wondering why the world has not come to help them. He accused powerful nations of hypocrisy, saying leaders who remain safe in comfort are willing to send innocent people to kill other innocent people. “The powerful are cowards,” he said, drawing sustained applause from the audience.
Guardiola underlined that his remarks were rooted in basic human values. “All of this is simply about humanity,” he said, adding that humanity, in his view, was precisely what was missing in the response to Palestine. He concluded his brief but emotional address by urging the audience to reflect on the message and work towards a more just and compassionate society.
During the speech, Guardiola reportedly drew parallels between the devastation in Gaza and Barcelona’s own past, recalling the bombing of the city during the Spanish Civil War in 1938. He suggested that historical memory should compel people to stand against suffering and injustice elsewhere.
The ‘Act X Palestine’ concert featured performances by a range of artists, including Bad Gyal, Lluís Llach and Palestinian singers Zeyne and Lina Makoul. Proceeds from the event are set to support cultural centres across Palestine through the Palestinian Performing Arts Network.
Guardiola has repeatedly spoken out on the Gaza conflict in recent years. In October 2025, he publicly urged people to pressure governments to take immediate action and voiced support for pro-Gaza demonstrations in Barcelona. Earlier, in June 2025, after receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester, he said the situation in Gaza caused him deep personal pain.
Videos of Guardiola’s latest speech have since gone viral on social media, drawing millions of views and reactions across the world.
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No exit polls from 7 am of April 9 till 6.30 pm of April 29: EC
New Delhi (PTI): Exit polls can neither be held nor disseminated from 7 am of April 9 till 6.30 pm of April 29 for the five assembly elections taking place this month, the Election Commission has said.
It has also cautioned that conducting or broadcasting exit polls in the period is violative of section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and is "punishable with imprisonment up to a period of two years, or with fine or both".
While Kerala, Assam and Puducherry going for assembly polls on April 9, the electoral exercise will be held in Tamil Nadu on April 23.
In West Bengal, state polls will be held on April 23 and 29.
While the 48 hour 'silence period' in Kerala and Puducherry will commence at 6 pm on Tuesday, it will kick in at 5 pm in Assam.
Silence period means end of campaigning 48 hours ahead of the end of voting hour in a particular constituency or the entire state.
Except door-to-door campaigning by a limited number of party workers or candidate, no other form of campaigning is allowed. But in a digital age, it is difficult to enforce.
Usually voting is held from 7 am to 6 pm. But the timing varies due to terrain and security situation.
