Adidas boycott calls over campaign featuring former Israeli soldier amid Gaza amputations

What happened

Al Jazeera reports that Adidas faces boycott calls following an advertising campaign featuring Shalev Biton, a former Israeli soldier who lost his leg during the 2021 Israel-Gaza conflict. The ad promotes Adidas' single-shoe service for amputees by showing Biton wearing the shoe while running outdoors in Israel. Pro-Palestinian activists describe the campaign as an affront amid over 5,000 Palestinians who have undergone amputations due to Israeli attacks in Gaza, and widespread devastation from repeated Israeli assaults.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. Stephanie Westbrook, a campaigns coordinator for the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), criticized Adidas for normalizing Israel’s actions against Palestinians and facilitating impunity for alleged violations. She emphasized the soldier’s identity as part of an army involved in what she termed genocide, military occupation, and apartheid policies affecting Palestinians. These claims reflect the perspective of boycott movement leaders rather than independently verified findings in the source material.

The World Health Organization estimates that between 5,000 and 6,000 Palestinians in Gaza have had amputations as of early October 2025, when a ceasefire was signed between Israel and Hamas. The total number injured during the conflict is around 42,000, including many children. The Israeli blockade reportedly continues to restrict humanitarian aid and medical supplies, including prosthetics, worsening conditions for amputees in Gaza, according to PACBI and cited human rights campaigners.

Known from the source

• Adidas released an ad campaign featuring former Israeli soldier Shalev Biton, who lost a leg during the 2021 Israel-Gaza conflict.
• The campaign promotes Adidas’ single-shoe service for amputees.
• Activists and the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) have called for a boycott of Adidas over the campaign.
• WHO estimates indicate 5,000 to 6,000 amputations among Palestinians in Gaza as of early October 2025.
• An estimated 42,000 Palestinians in Gaza sustained life-altering injuries during the conflict.

What remains unclear

The campaign also notes that more than 1,000 Palestinian athletes have been killed since October 2023, with hundreds losing limbs but continuing to play amputee football as a form of resilience amid destruction. Public figures such as actor Javier Bardem have supported the boycott call on social media. The situation remains dire nearly a year after the ceasefire, with continuing blockade-related shortages impacting Gaza’s health sector and rehabilitation services, especially for children.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Precise injury and amputation figures from WHO and other sources for Gaza. Details on Israel’s blockade impact on medical and prosthetic supply channels. Verification of casualties and number of athlete deaths reported by UNICEF and other bodies.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: Al Jazeera Gaza. Open the source.