Adidas faces backlash over advertisement featuring retired Israeli soldier

Adidas is facing significant backlash following an advertising campaign featuring a retired Israeli soldier who lost a leg during military operations in Gaza. Critics argue that the advertisement, which focuses on prosthetic limbs, ignores the thousands of Palestinian civilians who have also lost limbs due to the conflict.

Hattab Muhammed Abdülkerim Şehab, a Gazan lawyer who lost his right leg during an Israeli bombardment in December 2023, condemned the campaign. He stated that instead of highlighting the suffering of the thousands of innocent people in Gaza, the company chose to use a soldier from the occupying army to improve its image. Şehab described the advertisement as propaganda intended to mislead the public and diminish support for the Palestinian people.

In response to the growing controversy, Adidas has issued an apology, though critics have characterized the gesture as superficial.