Social media is abound with polarising opinions and comments on the horrific war between Israel and Palestine militant group Hamas which has now entered into its second month. Many Hollywood celebrities have taken to platforms to voice their concerns about the deadly and unprecedented October 7 Hamas attack including the abduction of 240 Israelis which triggered the latest war, whereas Israel's retaliatory stranglehold of Gaza has seen significantly less vocalization from the stars.
Since the war began, more than 11,070 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, At least 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, mainly in the initial Hamas attack, Israeli officials said. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from both sides.
Here is a look at the few famous figures who used their social media platforms to denounce Israel's war on Palestinians.
Celebrities who spoke against violence in Palestine
Supermodel sisters Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid who are half-Palestinian have been very vocal in condemning Israel's oppression of Palestinians. "The terrorising of innocent people is not in alignment and does not do any good for the 'Free Palestine' movement," Gigi Hadid wrote.
However, the Israeli government responded to Gigi Hadid's comments saying, "Have you been sleeping the past week Gigi? Or are you just fine turning a blind eye to Jewish babies being butchered in their homes? Your silence has been very clear about where you stand. We see you."
Additionally, Bella Hadid was replaced as the face of luxury fashion brand Dior with Israeli model May Tager for its latest ad campaign. Although the brand and Hadid are yet to issue any official statement, "Boycott Dior" has been trending on social media since her replacement. But Hadid’s contract with Dior ended more than a year ago, in March 2022, and was not extended, a source told AP.
On October 27, Bella Hadid issued a statement on Instagram, lamenting the loss of innocent lives while calling on followers to pressure their leaders to protect civilians in Gaza.
Bella Hadid has repeatedly made public remarks criticizing the Israeli government and supporting Palestinians in the years since she was named a brand ambassador for Dior’s makeup in 2016.
Actor Mark Ruffalo, popularly known for his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as 'Hulk', took a strong stand for Palestine, reiterating the terms used by international NGO Amnesty to describe the war on Gaza as an 'apartheid' and 'genocide'.
Ruffalo used to share his opinions on the Israeli government's actions even before the latest conflict. For instance, in March 2023, he criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it was time "to sanction the new hard right-wing government of Netanyahu and deny them visas for their calls of genocide."
Besides, actor John Cusack and singer-songwriter Kehlani took part in pro-Palestine demonstrations in different parts of the United States.
It can be recalled that three-time Academy Award-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis had described the atrocities of the Israeli militia when he documented his visit to Gaza in 2005. He had written an op-ed for the Times UK; excerpts of it have been shared on blogs.
He wrote: "Israeli tanks and armor-plated bulldozers can come with no warning, often at night. The noise alone, to a people who have been forced to suffer these violations year after year, is enough to freeze the soul." Another powerful quote of his reads thus: "(Israel) is a state of apartheid. It's taken me less than a week to lose impartiality, In doing so, I may as well be throwing stones at tanks."
American singer and songwriter Halsey, who was a vocal supporter of Palestine in the past, broke her month-long silence on the ongoing conflict through her Instagram stories.
Responding to the public calling her a coward, she said, "A few people have suggested that it's cowardice. And to be completely honest, it is."
She said that she made a conscious decision to protect her family from people who plan to enact violence towards her in disagreement with her opinions.
Halsey wrote, "My politics are uncomplicated and remain unchanged. I condemn any organized body of power unleashing acts of violence against innocent civilians. The rise of Antisemitism and Islamophobia is undeniable. I stand against hate speech in all forms. I stand for freedom and the right to live safely."
Celebs who spoke for Israel
Immediately after Hamas' surprise offensive against Israel, more than 700 Hollywood celebrities signed an open letter condemning the Islamist militant group's actions and demanding the safe release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
The letter which was released under the banner of the non-profit organization Creative Community for Peace was signed by Gal Gadot, Jerry Seinfeld, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Pine, Mayim Bialik, Liev Schreiber, Mark Hamill, Howie Mandel, Bella Thorne and many more.
After the letter, the stars started voicing their support for Israel through their social media.
Actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson had posted a long note on Instagram expressing how he was, "heartbroken, angry and sickened by the brutal murders and kidnapping of Jewish people through the horrific acts of the Hamas terrorist group."
Musician and performer Madonna wrote on Instagram, "I'm Praying For you. I am aware that this is the work of Hamas and there are many innocent people in Palestine who do not support this terrorist organization. This Tragic attack will only cause more suffering for everyone Let us all Pray," she added.
Israeli actor and model Gal Gadot famous for portraying Wonder Woman in the DC Cinematic Universe had served two years in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) before entering Hollywood. She has shared several social media posts in support of Israel. In her initial post after the Hamas attack, she said, "I stand with Israel you should too. The world cannot sit on the fence when these horrific acts of terror are happening!"
Over the course of October, she continued to post pictures of children and individuals who were taken as hostages by Hamas, encouraging users to "wake up", retaliate and bring the hostages back.
In 2021, she received a lot of backlash for her statement supporting Israel, where she was born.
"My heart breaks. My country is at war. I worry for my family, my friends. I worry for my people. This is a vicious cycle that has been going on for far too long,” the actor had written, adding that both Israel and its “neighbour” deserve to live as “free and safe” nations.
She was called out for using the word “neighbour” instead of referencing Palestine by name and was also accused of being a “propaganda” tool for Israel, given her past military service record.
A wave of backlash and controversy
A lot of personalities have been accused of practising "performative activism" as they had not only shared fake news and photos but also seemed unaware of the complexity of the long history behind the conflict.
Actor Jamie Lee Curtis extended her support to Israel and posted pictures of what she thought were Israeli children staring at the sky. However, social media users were quick to point out that the photo was of Palestinian kids looking up at Israeli airstrikes.
Popstar Justin Beiber too had a similar incident when he 'mistakenly' posted a picture of a destroyed city that he thought was in Israel, with the caption "Praying for Israel". However, the picture was actually of an area bombarded in the Gaza Strip, prompting him to delete the post.
Actor Angelina Jolie faced criticism from Israeli President Isaac Herzog for her comments against Israel on social media. Her father and actor Jon Voight said he was "disappointed" by his daughter's anti-Israel stance and added that the Israeli military was just protecting their people.
In a three-minute video captioned "Truth and lies", Voight said, "The Israeli army must protect thy soil, thy people. This is war. It's not going to be what the left thinks, it can't be civil now."
Joli had stated that her "focus is on the people displaced by violence in any context." She wrote on Instagram: "What happened in Israel is an act of terror. But that cannot justify the innocent lives lost in bombing a civilian population in Gaza that has nowhere to go, no access to food or water, no possibility of evacuation, and not even the basic human right to cross a border to seek refuge."
Comedians Amy Schumer and Sarah Silverman also faced criticism after resharing a post by attorney and activist Mandana Dayani, which read, “Every civilization has taught that the life of a Jew is less valuable than your own. It’s the Hitler playbook. Your antisemitism is not unconscious. It is so deeply rooted in your bones and you are so comfortable with it, you are not even able to consider its impact on your friends.”
Fans questioned their decision to reshare that particular post as it appeared like they chose sides without providing proper context of the conflict.
No hostage left behind
Several Hollywood actors also joined together to write an open letter to US President Joe Biden under the banner of the newly formed website 'No hostage left behind', after two American hostages were released on 20th October. Five of the hostages taken by Hamas have been freed since.
The letter also asked everyone to not rest until every hostage was released, urging that "we need to bring them home."
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