Ed Sheeran addresses Gaza war at first concert since Macklemore controversy

Ed Sheeran has insisted he wants his shows to be about "unity" and "not division" at his first concert since the Macklemore controversy.

Earlier this month, the British singer-songwriter and his team removed the Thrift Shop rapper as a supporting act from the Loop Tour due to "free Palestine" comments during two performances in New Jersey.

According to Sheeran, the pressure came from promoters and venue owners, including billionaire Robert Kraft.

Taking to the stage at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday night, the Shape of You hitmaker addressed the fallout.

"I'm used to my music being criticised, and I'm always happy to take that because I'm lucky a lot of you like myself, and to be honest, I'm not surprised that other people don't," he began. "You know, it's normal. But this week the criticism was about something much more important, and I've had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I'm so, so sorry."

Sheeran went on to admit that he never saw himself as an "activist musician" but has changed his perspective after becoming thrust into the middle of the argument about freedom of speech and "the most complex political issue on the planet".

"Now, I want to address the question of where I stand in the situation in Israel and Palestine and whether my doing this concert here tonight implies where I stand," the 35-year-old continued. "I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division. About humanity, not politics. But this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore."

Sheeran labelled the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups as "horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain".

He also described the ongoing Gaza war, fought as part of unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, to be "catastrophic and unjustifiable".

"My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians' lives, of children's lives. And the systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked. I am already speaking to people across the spectrum to work out how to make a contribution that helps victims of these terrible times, and listening and learning because I do not know enough," he declared.

And despite his supporting acts on the Loop Tour - Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Beoga - dropping out in solidarity with Macklemore, Sheeran explained that he wanted to honour his "commitment" to fans and perform on his own.

"I honestly am so grateful that you are here to learn with me," the Perfect star concluded. "This concert is still in place, but everyone is welcome, and everyone here can stand beside people that have opposing views, and everyone here can stand by people that they don't agree with on everything, that they can all agree on singing these songs. And these songs are about love, hope, and unity."

Representatives for Macklemore - real name Benjamin Haggerty - have not yet responded to Sheeran's speech.