From Mo Salah to Mahira Khan, famous personalities call for peace as Israel-Gaza war escalates

From the glamorous world of acting to the arduous field of sports, countless famous personalities have spoken up for Gaza as the Israel-Palestine war rages on.

The humanitarian outbreak has been immeasurable as deaths are reduced to numbers, buildings to dusty rubble, and daily necessities to a minority of aid trucks.

As the world witnesses the tragedy unfold, many have taken to social platforms to use their influence and spread awareness about the situation, as well as call for a ceasefire.

From heart-wrenching images to messages and prayers of solidarity, here are some of the well-known personalities who spoke up and appealed to world leaders.

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'History is watching'

Sixty Hollywood actors and artists, including comedian Jon Stewart, Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix, Dua Lipa, Oscar Isaac, Mahershala Ali, Cate Blanchett and many more wrote to US President Joe Biden, urging him to press for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza.

"We urge your administration, and all world leaders, to honour all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay — an end to the bombing of Gaza, and the safe release of hostages," the celebrities wrote to Biden.

"We refuse to tell future generations the story of our silence, that we stood by and did nothing. As (UN) Emergency Relief Chief Martin Griffiths told UN News, "History is watching", they said in the letter.

Gigi Hadid

Supermodel sisters Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid are known for speaking up for Palestine, as they have done countless times in the past. The duo are half Palestinian due to their father Mohamed Hadid.

Gigi took to her Instagram to express her solidarity with those affected by the war on both sides.

The model, along with other members of her family have faced numerous death threats due to their pro-Palestinian stance, pushing them to even change their phone numbers.

Sister Bella Hadid had also participated in a protest back in 2021.

Kehlani

Singer and songwriter Kehlani has been very vocal about her support for Palestine and the immediate need for a ceasefire. With her Instagram display picture showing a Palestinian flag with words 'I stand with Palestine' plastered across, the singer constantly posts videos and images from the horrific war, giving a platform to journalists and activists currently residing in the war-torn region.

Yara Shahidi

American actress and model Yara Shahidi has taken to her Instagram many times to shed light on crises across the globe. Just recently, the producer spoke about the tragic impact of Morocco's earthquake on its people. She has now showed her support for people affected by the war between Israel and Palestine.

Shahidi captioned her post by saying 'ceasefire now'.

Mark Ruffalo

The Avengers actor Mark Ruffalo has come out about his support and expressed his grief for the bloody events that unfolded since October 7, 2023.

Ruffalo has also been using his Twitter to give a platform to donation bodies, charity organisations, and the UNICEF's humanitarian calls.

Sonam Kapoor

Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor voiced her support for the people of Palestine and the children of Gaza who have faced bloodshed and massive amount of loss in the face of war.

Riz Ahmed

Pakistani-British actor Riz Ahmed's work, be it music or films, often centre around a social message. The actor upheld the same moral responsibility in real life as he shared his concern and solidarity for Palestine on Instagram.

Mahira Khan

Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, who recently hit the headlines after her stunning wedding, has been highly vocal on her Twitter, where she posts about the war and reposts the work of many activists and journalists who are working on the ground in Gaza.

Roger Waters

English musician and singer-songwriter Roger Waters had made his pro-Palestinian stance clear as he shared a heartfelt video on Instagram. In the video, he spoke about his Palestinian friend who lost 11 of her family members amidst the heavy bombardment on Gaza.

The singer has faced backlash from some of his fan-base, but continues to speak up about the cause.

Hasan Minhaj

Indian-American comedian Hasan Minhaj who is known to take the stage with his political and social messages morphed with banter, has spoken up about the issue on his Instagram, calling for an urgent appeal for a ceasefire to the American president.

Minhaj also shared a heartbreaking post with a caption mentioning 'the loss of human dignity' as he shared the story of a young video creator from Gaza who shared his own eulogy on Instagram not knowing if he would live.

Susan Sarandon

Actor Susan Sarandon known for her comedic roles across Hollywood has shown massive support for Palestine on social media platform X. Sarandon shares images of protests and spreads awareness.

The actress shared a video, shedding a light on the grave damage caused by the war.

Swara Bhaskar

Bollywood actress Swara Bhaskar who recently became a mother, has been speaking about the catastrophe in Palestine on a daily basis.

Echoing the dreadful feeling that many feel while watching footage and pictures of dead babies and their parents, the actor added to her caption: "I keep staring at the sleeping peaceful face of my baby girl wondering how I would ever protect her if she were born in Gaza."

Liam Cunningham

Game of Thrones star Liam Cunningham shared visuals of a protest he attended in Dublin in support of Palestine. The actor also shares stories on the app, expressing the outrage felt during this time.

Armeena Khan

Pakistani-Canadian actress Armeena Khan shared a picture from a protest she attended in Canada with her husband and daughter.

"Children are innocent, they need to be spared. May I never know it but I’m pretty sure losing a child is the worst pain in the world that I wish on no parent," wrote the actor-model in her post.

Celebrities like John Cusack, Mo Amer, America Ferrera, Ramy Youssef have spoken up about the attacks on social platforms.

Sports personalities too have shown their solidarity with the people of Gaza during this time.

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool and Egypt footballer, Mo Salah made a public announcement on his Instagram, showing solidarity with Palestine, calling an end to the 'massacres' and calling for aid to enter the region, prior to it taking place. Salah also donated to the cause.

Mohammed Elneny

Arsenal's Egyptian Mohammed Elneny has also shared his support on Instagram, which stirred up controversy. The footballer changed his display picture to the Palestinian flag, with the Aqsa mosque seen in its background.

Many other footballers have stood in solidarity with their Palestinian brothers and sisters, with some facing backlash as well as a risk of suspension from their teams.

Egyptian swimmer Abdelrahman Sameh's pro-Palestine pictures were removed by the World Aquatics after he expressed his support.

Pakistan's cricketer Muhammad Rizwan dedicated his team's win against Sri Lanka to his 'brothers and sisters in Gaza'.

According to a Reuters report, the Palestinian death toll in Gaza has topped 5,000 in two weeks of Israeli air strikes unleashed in response to a Hamas attack in which the militant group killed more than 1,400 people.

laraib@khaleejtimes.com

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