As the Israel-Hamas war continues and the subsequent death toll rising, a number of high-profile stars have joined together to sign an open letter urging President Joe Biden to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
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Dua Lipa, Michael Stipe, Caroline Polachek, Killer Mike, Vic Mensa, Miguel, Kaytranada, Macklemore, Cate Blanchett, Joaquin Phoenix, John Cusack, Lena Waithe and more are among the signees of the letter, which reads in part, “We urge your administration, and all world leaders, to honor 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 letter adds: “More than 5,000 people have been killed in the last week and a half – a number any person of conscience knows is catastrophic. We believe all life is sacred, no matter faith or ethnicity and we condemn the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians,” before continuing, “Half of Gaza’s two million residents are children, and more than two thirds are refugees and their descendants being forced to flee their homes. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them.”
See the full open letter here.
The conflict between Israel and Palestine escalated after the horrific Oct. 7 terror attack on the Supernova Music Festival at Kibbutz Re’im by Hamas militants. The assault by air and land by the militant arm of the terrorist organization that governs the more than two million Palestinians who live in the Gaza Strip included the killing of more than 260 revelers and many more kidnapped at the Paralello Universo Supernova Sukkot Gathering electronic dance music festival celebrating the Jewish holiday Simchat Torah.
As of Wednesday (Oct. 25), per the Washington Post, Israeli authorities said more than 1,400 people have been killed in Israel since then and more than 5,400 injured. Palestinian authorities said Israeli attacks have killed at least 6,546 people in Gaza and wounded more than 17,400.