Coco Gauff on Israel-Palestine conflict: "Heartbroken by the tragic loss of innocent lives, the heinous nature of these actions is incomprehensible"

Coco Gauff has expressed anguish at the loss of innocent lives during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.

The conflict, which has been going on for several decades now, escalated on Saturday, October 7, when Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist organization, attacked Israel, targeting towns located near the Gaza Strip.

As many as 1,200 Israelis, including over 120 soldiers, have lost their lives. Additionally, several Israelis were taken as hostages into the Gaza Strip.

The United Nations has reported that Israeli retaliation has seen around 123,538 Palestinians in Gaza displaced, with close to 1,000 people losing their lives.

American No. 1 Gauff took to social media to express her sadness at the events in the Middle East and condemned all acts of terrorism. She also said that she remains hopeful that the region will find peace in the future.

"I am heartbroken by the tragic loss of innocent lives and firmly denounce any acts of terrorism. My heart goes out to all of the innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives involved. The heinous nature of these actions is incomprehensible, and my family's hearts go out to the families of those who have lost loved ones, those who have been injured, and those who are still missing," she said.

"I hold onto hope for peace in the region and stand firm on combatting all forms of hatred. My family and I will continue to pray for all of the families in mourning," she added.

Screenshot of Coco Gauff's Instagram story.

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After China Open exit, Coco Gauff pulls out of Zhengzhou Open and Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Coco Gauff has pulled out of the Zhengzhou Open and Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

Coco Gauff was recently in action at the China Open, where she beat the likes of Ekaterina Alexandrova, Petra Martic, Veronika Kudermetova, and Maria Sakkari to reach the semifinals.

In the last four clash, Gauff couldn't get past the eventual champion Iga Swiatek, who won 6-2, 6-3 to end the American's 16-match win streak, which began with her title run in Cincinnati.

Later, the reigning US Open champion announced her withdrawal from the Zhengzhou Open in China due to a shoulder injury that bothered her during a loss to Swiatek. She also decided not to compete in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, as revealed by Team USA's squad update earlier this week.

Gauff's friend and doubles partner Jessica Pegula will also miss the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. This means Madison Keys will lead the US contingent, with Sofia Kenin, Sloane Stephens, Danielle Collins, and Taylor Townsend completing the team.