Mainz to terminate El Ghazi's contract for social media post

German club FSV Mainz 05 has apparently terminated the contract of winger Anwar El Ghazi. The move comes 10 days after the Bundesliga side initially suspended the player following a social media post regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The 28-year-old Netherlands international initially shared a post on his Instagram story in mid-October showing support for Palestine. El Ghazi then deleted the post and took to X to further explain his opinion on the matter.

“I recently received some negative messages around my social media posts,” El Ghazi wrote on October 12th. “I want to make clear that I’m standing for peace above everything. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all the innocent victims, and those who are still missing, as well as the communities who are affected by this situation.”

“Every individual, be it Palestine or elsewhere, has the right to security, a loving home, and opportunities to grow. I’m calling for more empathy. Deepening our knowledge about the history of this conflict is vital before we hate and slander all those who have spoken about the injustices of Palestine.”

“None of us, myself included, cherish the thought of war or the heartbreaking loss of innocent lives. Before passing judgement on me or any stance, I urge everyone to try and grasp the profound pain the Palestinians have endured.”

Winger set to have his contract terminated for second time this season

While Mainz initially suspended the winger, the BBC is now reporting that El Ghazi has now departed the club. The British news outlet claims that the German team scheduled a meeting with the player on Thursday to discuss the matter. Mainz officials apparently wanted El Ghazi to apologize for the since deleted post. However, the winger reportedly refused by claiming that his stance was for peace on both sides.

El Ghazi only just recently signed a deal with Mainz back in September. The Dutch forward joined the club after agreeing to mutually terminate his contract with PSV Eindhoven three weeks prior. El Ghazi’s deal with the Bundesliga team was previously set to continue until the summer of 2025.

El Ghazi made just three substitute appearances for club

Following the news of his apparent departure from the club, El Ghazi once again issued a statement on social media. “I condemn the killing of all innocent civilians in Palestine and Israel. My sympathies are with the innocent victims of this conflict irrespective of their nationality,” the Dutch forward posted on X and Instagram. “I am committed to a peaceful and integrated Middle East region.”

“To the extent my previous statements on social media have been misunderstood, I would like to make clear that I stand for peace and humanity for all.”

Despite the report, Mainz has yet to officially announced the departure of El Ghazi. Nevertheless, the player was not included in manager Bo Svensson’s squad to face VfL Bochum on Friday. Teams tend to wait until after games to break similar news on matchdays.

El Ghazi made three Bundesliga appearances for Mainz prior to his suspension. While the trio of appearances came from the bench, the forward did manage to collect an assist in seemingly his final game with the club. In all, El Ghazi played 51 total minutes with Mainz.