Lewis Hamilton visited the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion met with aid workers delivering humanitarian assistance to the war-affected territory. His visit was confirmed by an Egyptian government statement.
Hamilton toured the crossing and logistics warehouses operated by the Egyptian Red Crescent in El Arish. He was accompanied by Khaled Megawer, the governor of North Sinai. The purpose was to observe the Egyptian efforts to support Palestinians in Gaza.
Speaking on Wednesday, November 11, Hamilton described seeing “miles of walls built to keep people in.” He stated that the area felt like an “open-air prison.”
I do not want us to get used to their suffering. I do not want us to close our eyes.
Hamilton observed aid trucks at the Rafah crossing facing significant delays. He noted that some drivers had waited over twelve hours for permission to proceed. Many trucks are regularly denied entry into Gaza.
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was established last year. This truce mandated a minimum of 600 trucks of aid daily into Gaza. However, aid workers report that only a fraction of this volume is currently permitted by Israeli authorities.
Over two million people in Gaza are experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis. The vast majority of the population has been displaced. Many are sheltering in extensive tent camps, as most buildings in Gaza are damaged or destroyed.
Heavy rainfall this week has exacerbated the situation, sweeping away tens of thousands of tents. Approximately 70,000 tents were flooded within a 12-hour period.
An independent commission of UN experts reported last month that Israeli forces have expanded their control. The territory under Israeli control increased from 53% to at least 60%.
Airstrikes continue, and Israeli fire along the advancing front has resulted in casualties. The UN commission documented at least 196 Palestinian deaths, including 18 women, 32 boys, and 11 girls.
The cumulative death toll in Gaza has risen to 74,618. This includes 1,602 deaths recorded since the ceasefire agreement.
The Board of Peace, a US-backed body overseeing the truce, urged Israel this week to “act immediately.” The directive was to allow essential winter aid into the Strip.
This marks Hamilton’s second humanitarian trip to the region. In December 2025, he visited Jordan with the British Red Cross. There, he met with Red Crescent teams and visited a hospital treating children evacuated from Gaza.
Hamilton previously stated in December 2025 that the “trickle of aid currently reaching Gaza is nowhere near enough.” He has consistently used his platform to advocate for peace.
The visit occurred just days after Hamilton’s 400th Formula 1 race start. He competed in the São Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday, November 8, finishing ninth for Ferrari.
Hamilton is currently in his second season with Ferrari. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli secured the 2026 Drivers’ Championship with three races remaining.
