Ed Sheeran and Robert Kraft Match Macklemore with $2M Gaza Pledges
Combined pledges for humanitarian relief tied to the crisis in Gaza have reached roughly $5 million (Dh18.36 million) after New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and musician Ed Sheeran each committed $2 million (Dh7.35 million). The contributions follow Macklemore’s earlier $1 million (Dh3.67 million) pledge and his subsequent removal from the US leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
The financial developments unfolded following a political speech delivered by Macklemore at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey at the beginning of September, during which he said “free Palestine” from the stage. Macklemore was subsequently dropped from the remainder of the tour, a move he attributed to pressure from venue owners, specifically pointing to Kraft as a central figure in coordinating the pushback. Macklemore subsequently announced he would donate his net earnings from the tour to organizations supporting Palestinian relief and publicly challenged Kraft to match the contribution.
In a statement posted to the Gillette Stadium X account, Kraft revealed that Sheeran had contacted him to pledge $2 million prior to Macklemore’s public challenge. Kraft confirmed he would match Sheeran’s contribution, bringing the total pool of announced funds to approximately $5 million when combined with Macklemore’s earlier commitment. Kraft added that Sheeran plans to contact other venue owners to collaborate on ongoing humanitarian efforts.
“Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis,” Kraft stated, noting his decades-long involvement in supporting initiatives that build businesses and foster relationships between Palestinians and Israelis.
Despite the multi-million dollar pledges, specific details regarding the exact organizations slated to receive the funds remain unconfirmed. Representatives for both Sheeran and Kraft did not immediately respond to media requests for clarification on the distribution channels, leaving the immediate routing of the capital unclear as the fallout from the tour cancellation continues.
