Amidst the deadly conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, concert organizer Live Nation announced Oct. 7 that Bruno Mars’ performance in Tel Aviv was canceled.
The company shared a statement about Mars’ concert on its official Live Nation Israel account.
The statement, which was posted in Hebrew, translated to, “Dear customers, the performance of Bruno Mars that was planned to take place tonight is cancelled. All ticket buyers for the show will receive an automatic refund to the credit card with which the purchase was made," per Google Translate.
Live Nation added, “We strengthen the residents of Israel , IDF fighters and the security forces in these difficult moments.”
Live Nation directed TODAY.com to the Instagram post when contacted for additional comment.
Mars was scheduled to perform twice in Tel Aviv at Yarkon Park. He took the stage for his first show on Oct. 4 to belt his biggest hits in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 60,000 fans, according to The Times of Israel.
“Tel Aviv! The Hooligans have made it to Israel,” he told the crowd, according to the publication. “We’ve been waiting a long time to play for you.”
He intended to return to the venue for a second sold-out show, but hours before the concert, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel.
In addition to Mars’ concert, international soccer matches have been postponed in the wake of the conflict, the Union of European Football Associations said Oct. 8.
Israel’s national team and Switzerland were set to compete Oct. 12 in Tel Aviv. The union is still determining if the Israel-Kosovo match will proceed as scheduled on Oct. 15.
NBC News reported that Hamas fighters attacked the neighboring country’s southern border via land, air and sea. Hamas also fired rockets from the Gaza Strip.
In response to the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared a video on social media in which he ordered a strike on Gaza, according to NBC News.
“We are in a war,” he said in the clip.
NBC News verified a video from Hamas on Oct. 7 that multiple hostages have been taken.
The day of the attack, the Supernova music festival was held in an Israeli desert. A spokesperson for Zaka, an Israeli nongovernmental rescue and recovery organization, confirmed to NBC News that 260 people were killed at the event.
Eliav Klein, who attended the festival, told NBC News he remembered hearing gunshots and saw hundreds of people running for safety. He is still looking for some of his missing friends.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan confirmed to NBC News that “a few” Americans attended the festival. Officials said some of the festival attendees, which also included some British citizens, were abducted.
The bloodshed has now continued for two days and the death toll is rising. On Oct. 8, Lt. Jonathan Conricus, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, told MSNBC that at least 700 people have been killed in Israel.
“We have had the worst day in Israeli history when it comes to casualties ... In American terms, this is a Pearl Harbor and a 9/11 all together,” he said.
Israel’s Health Ministry reported that 2,200 people have been taken to the hospital to treat injuries.
The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed on Facebook that at least 413 people have been killed in Gaza, NBC News reported. The social media post said that 2,300 Palestinians have been injured.
Following the attacks, President Joe Biden released a statement Oct. 7 and said he spoke to the Israeli prime minister “about the horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel.”
“The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel. Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people,” he said.
Biden spoke to Netanyahu again on Oct. 8, an additional statement shared by the White House said.
The statement said the two leaders conversed about “the taking of hostages by Hamas terrorists, including entire families, the elderly, and young children.” Biden also shared his condolences for the missing, wounded and killed, as well.
“The President also conveyed that additional assistance for the Israeli Defense Forces is now on its way to Israel with more to follow over the coming days,” the White House said.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the U.S. military is showing support for Israel by moving an aircraft carrier strike group and a military aircraft closer to the country and providing military supplies, according to NBC News.
“Strengthening our joint force posture, in addition to the materiel support that we will rapidly provide to Israel, underscores the United States’ ironclad support for the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli people,” Austin said in a statement obtained by NBC News.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told NBC News’ Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press” Oct. 8 that the Biden administration is “working to verify” reports that multiple American were among the dead.
“Similarly, we’ve seen reports about hostages and there, again, we’re very actively trying to verify them, and nail that down,” he said.