On Friday (3rd November), former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan raised his ‘concern’ for the children losing their lives in Gaza amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. He urged world leaders to unite and stop the “senseless killing”.
“Every day, innocent kids aged 0-10 in Gaza are losing lives and the world remains silent. As a sportsman, I can only speak out, but it’s high time for world leaders to unite and put an end to this senseless killing. @UN #StopTheViolence #GazaChildren,” Pathan posted (archive) on X with replies turned off.
While cricketer Irfan Pathan today spoke out for the Gazan kids losing their lives, he chose to maintain a deafening silence on 7th October when Palestinian terrorist group Hamas carried out a brutal attack on Israel killing 1400 Israeli civilians, slaughtering children, raping women and parading them naked.
Although days later, Irfan Pathan said in an X post that his heart goes out to all the innocent children and people getting hurt in the Israel-Palestine war, the cricketer-turned-commentator did not condemn Hamas. Forget condemning, Pathan did not even mention Hamas terrorists.
“My heart goes out for all the innocent ppl n kids who get hurt in the war. May peace prevail soon. #IsrealPalestineWar,” Pathan posted on 20th October.
Irfan Pathan’s post on Friday sparked a strong reaction from netizens who called out the cricketer’s hypocrisy of remaining silent when Hamas slaughtered Israelis but urging world leaders to come together to end “senseless killing” when Israel is fighting back with its declared intent to put an end to Hamas terrorism.
An X user named Varun Kumar Rana pointed out how the cricketer today is concerned about Gazan children but was dropping usual posts on 7th October when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel. The X user wrote, “Irfan Pathan today Vs Irfan Pathan on October 7, the day Israel was attacked.”
Another X user “Bala” wrote, “Innocent Israeli kids were butchered, women were raped and paraded by Hamas on October 7 and Irfan Pathan remained silent. When life makes you Irfan, Be Irfan Khan not @IrfanPathan.”
One “The Right Wing Guy” wrote, “Irfan Pathan waited for the right moment. He trolled Pakistan multiple times so that he can gain sympathy and get people to like him more. The problem is not that he thought about Gaza but the problem is that he did not stand again Israel earlier and not even mentioned about Israel now. If these killings are bothering you, it should not be one way. Israel kids should also matter the same to you. Why the comment section is off now? Because he know he is not right.”
Some X users also speculated if the former cricketer was paid for the X post in question.
A popular X user who goes by the username “Befitting Facts” wrote, “Irfan Pathan tweeted in support of Gaza. Clearly this was sent by someone else, he forgot to remove quote. Did he get paid for this?”
Another one posted, “Turns off replies, wants you to remain “silent” 2 Question for @IrfanPathan, -War is on 4th week, who from Gaza contacted him to post this tweet today? -How did they contact him?”
It is worth noting that this is not the first time that Irfan Pathan has posted in support of Palestine. “If you have even slightest of humanity you will not support what’s happening in #Palestine #SaveHumanity,” Pathan had posted back in 2021.
It is ironic that while cricketer Irfan Pathan is asking world leaders and tagging United Nations to put an end to the “senseless killing” in Gaza, a top Hamas terrorist Ghazi Hamad not only justified the brutal terror attack in Israel on October 7 killing thousands of civilians including children and the elderly and raping women parading them naked but also announced to repeat it until Israel is annihilated.