(Reuters) – Bayern Munich will not take disciplinary action against their Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui after the player’s social media posts in connection with the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Bundesliga club said on Friday.
Hamas fighters killed 1,300 Israelis on Oct. 7 in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel’s history.
At least 4,137 Palestinians have been killed and 13,000 wounded in Gaza in Israeli strikes since then, the Palestinian health ministry said on Friday in a statement.
“Bayern Munich held a detailed and clarifying conversation with Noussair Mazraoui this week,” the club said in a statement.
“The reason for the discussion was Mazraoui’s Instagram posts in connection with the terror against Israel almost two weeks ago, which led to irritation and criticism.
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen added: “Noussair Mazraoui has credibly assured us that as a peace-loving person he resolutely rejects terror and war and he never meant to cause any irritation with his posts.”
The club added that they, and Mazraoui, strongly oppose the transfer of the conflict and its violence to Germany and Bayern stands by Germany’s Jewish community and by Israel’s side.
Mazraoui will remain in Bayern’s squad but is unavailable through injury for their game at Mainz 05 on Saturday.
Mainz suspended Dutch forward Anwar El Ghazi on Tuesday for a social media post about the Israel-Hamas conflict.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Ken Ferris)
