Lewis Hamilton has visited the Rafah border crossing to see for himself how humanitarian aid bound for Gaza is received, sorted and sent on, and afterwards described the territory as an “open-air prison”.
The seven-time Formula One world champion arrived in El Arish, Egypt, on Tuesday and toured the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing and warehouses run by the Egyptian Red Crescent, according to the North Sinai governorate. He was received at El Arish International Airport by the governor of North Sinai, Khaled Megawer, who accompanied him to the crossing and briefed him on how relief supplies are prepared and coordinated before they are sent into Gaza.
Hamilton, 41, did not enter Gaza itself. The visit stayed entirely on the Egyptian side of the border.
Speaking on Wednesday, Hamilton described seeing “miles of walls built to keep people in” and said 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,” he said. His remarks were reported by specialist motorsport outlets; Reuters’ own account of the visit did not carry them.
The visit comes as conditions in Gaza have worsened sharply with the arrival of winter. Heavy rain and flooding this week have swept away or flooded tens of thousands of tents sheltering displaced Palestinians, and at least five people, including four children, have been killed in flooding and collapsing sand embankments, according to media reports.
Aid is still reaching Gaza far below the level agreed under the ceasefire reached last year, which set a target of at least 600 trucks a day. More than 150,000 tents are waiting outside Gaza, according to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, while Israel’s military liaison agency says it has already allowed in more than 91,000 tents and over 8,200 trucks carrying winter supplies.
Hamilton has long used his platform to speak about humanitarian causes. In 2021 he founded Mission 44, a charity aimed at supporting young people and improving access to education and employment. He has previously called for a ceasefire in Gaza and spoken out about crises in Sudan, Syria and Congo.
The Ferrari driver sits fourth in this season’s drivers’ championship, which has already been won by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, with three races remaining.
Sources: Reuters, “Motor racing-Hamilton visits Rafah crossing to see Gaza aid efforts” (https://985theriver.com/2026/11/10/motor-racing-hamilton-visits-rafah-crossing-to-see-gaza-aid-efforts/); F1 Headline, “Lewis Hamilton on Gaza border visit: ‘I do not want us to close our eyes'” (https://f1headline.com/lewis-hamilton-on-gaza-border-visit-i-do-not-want-us-to-close-our-eyes/); Grand Prix 247, “Lewis Hamilton visits Gaza aid facilities and Rafah border crossing during trip to Egypt” (https://www.grandprix247.com/formula-1-news/lewis-hamilton-visits-gaza-aid-facilities-and-rafah-border-crossing-during-trip-to-egypt).
