Joey Barton condemns Gaza conflict

Joey Barton has taken to Twitter to condemn the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The Queens Park Rangers midfielder described the bloodshed as a result of fighting between Hamas and Israel over the occupation of Gaza as "ethnic cleansing."

The 31-year-old said: "If this was anybody else but Israel the West would intervene. It cannot continue. Innocent children being slaughtered. This must stop.

"How can God stand by and watch this? Or even condone this? Is this all part of his master plan?

"The UN attempting to evacuate the school when the bombing took place? Asked [The Israel Defense Force] for window to evacuate. Not given. Children die as a result. This is not war. These are not combatants. They are just innocent children. This is ethnic cleansing."

Barton recently announced that he was ending his international retirement.