Bruno Mars’ Saturday night show in Tel Aviv has been cancelled, Live Nation Israel has announced.
News of the cancellation comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday that the country was “at war” following a surprise attack by Hamas militants that killed more than 200 Israelis and injured hundreds of others.
“Dear customers, the Bruno Mars concert that was scheduled to take place tonight has been canceled,” Live Nation Israel said in a translated Instagram statement on Friday. “All ticket purchases for the show will receive an automatic refund to the credit card through which the purchase was made. We are strengthening the people of Israel, the IDF fighters and the security forces during these difficult times.”
Mars made his first appearance in the country a few days ago, and Netanyahu’s video statement noted a “sudden murderous attack” by a Palestinian militant group amid the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to CNN.
Mars’ performance at the Lusail International Circuit for Qatar’s Formula 1 post-race concert was also canceled on Sunday, as the musician was replaced by DJ Snake. The venue announced the news on Twitter, citing “circumstances beyond our control”.
The Silk Sonic frontman is next scheduled to perform in Florida in December.
Bruno Mars poses for a photo at the 2021 American Music Awards.
John Esparza via Getty Images
As previously reported, the Israeli military says it was attacked from land, sea and air, while approximately 2,200 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip and headed over Israel, reports CNN. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also shared, according to CNN, that Hamas had taken “hostages and prisoners of war,” while Lt. Col. Richard Hecht revealed that soldiers were “fighting on the ground as we speak” over the weekend.
Al Jazeera reports that 232 Palestinians were also killed and 1,600 wounded in the counterattack on the Gaza Strip, citing the health ministry.
For decades, Israel and Palestine have been fighting for the right to Jerusalem as their capital. Israel governs the city, while the Palestinians want to control East Jerusalem, which consists of the West Bank and Gaza, as many live there after being displaced as a result of the Arab-Israeli conflict that began over Israel’s formation.
Joe Biden offers support for Israel as PM says ‘We are at war’ after Hamas attack
US President Joe Biden, who spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu, shared a statement on Saturday about the “horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel”, writing that the US “unequivocally condemns this horrific attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza” and is ready to “offer all appropriate means of support.”
“Terrorism is never justified,” Biden wrote. “Israel has the right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking to take advantage of this situation. My administration’s support for the security of Israel is firm and unwavering.”
President Biden continued: “Jill and I are keeping in our prayers all the families who have been hurt by this violence, we are heartbroken for the lives that have been tragically cut short, and we hope for a speedy recovery for all those who were wounded.”
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Source: HIS Education