Football superstar Lionel Messi who is also a Unicef goodwill ambassador on Friday expressed his sadness over the deaths of children in Gaza and called for an end to violence in the region.

“As a father and a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, I am terribly saddened by the images coming from the conflict between Israel and Palestine, where violence has already claimed so many young lives and to injure countless children,” the Argentinian superstar said on his Facebook page.

The message came with a picture of a Palestinian child wounded in Gaza

“Children did not create this conflict, but they are paying the ultimate price,” Messi said.

“This cycle of senseless violence must stop. We must reflect on the consequences of military conflicts and children must be protected,” the football star said on his Facebook page.

As Messi’s statement comes, Israel has launched air strikes across the Gaza Strip after Egyptian-mediated talks failed to extend a 72-hour truce in the month-long conflict.

Gaza officials say Israeli attacks have killed 1,877 Palestinians, most of them civilians. Hamas said on Thursday it had executed an unspecified number of Palestinians as Israeli spies.

Israel says 64 of its soldiers and three civilians have died in the fighting that began on July 8.