Gigi Hadid stuns with Israel war stance

The 28-year-old, who has been a longtime advocate for the ‘Free Palestine’ movement alongside her sister Bella Hadid, described the ongoing devastation in the region as an “unjustifiable tragedy”, throwing her support behind Palestine’s struggle while also condemning the violence that had arisen as a result of the attacks.

“I have deep empathy for the Palestinian struggle and life under occupation, it’s a responsibility I hold daily,” she wrote.

“I also feel a responsibility to my Jewish friends to make it clear, as I have before: While I have hopes and dreams for Palestinians, none of them include the harm of a Jewish person.

“The terrorising of innocent people is not in alignment with and does not do any good for the ‘Free Palestine’ movement.

“The idea that it does has fuelled a painful, decades-long cycle of back and forth retaliation (which no innocent civilian, Palestinian or Israeli, deserves to be a casualty of) and helps perpetuate the false idea that being Pro-Palestine = antisemitic.”

Hadid, a mother-of-one, concluded by expressing her condolences to those tied up in the conflict, as she pleaded for the safety of “innocent lives”.

“If you are hurting, as I share my condolences today with my loved ones, both Palestinian and Jewish, I’m sending you my love and strength – whoever and wherever you are,” she wrote. “There are a lot of complex, personal, and valid feelings, but every human deserves basic rights, treatment and security; no matter their nationality, religion, ethnicity, or where they were both.

“I know my words will never be enough or heal the deep wounds of so many, but I pray for the safety of innocent lives – always.”

Hadid switched comments off on the post.

Her younger sister Bella, 27, who has regularly used her social media platform to raise awareness for Palestine’s plight, is yet to comment.

Their father, multi-millionaire real estate developer Mohamed Hadid, is of Palestinian origin.

It comes as the death toll in the region rose to 3000 as of Tuesday, including more than 1000 Israelis.

Palestinian militant group Hamas launched the unprecedented attack on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets from Gaza and taking a “significant” number of captives.

Israel retaliated by launching a wave of air strikes. On Tuesday, the country imposed a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip, cutting off electricity, food, water and gas to its 2.3 million residents.

Israel is now threatening a ground invasion as more than 300,000 reservists are called up.

US President Joe Biden said he was prepared to bolster Israel’s defence with American military assets, as he condemned the attacks by Hamas in a speech on Wednesday morning.

“There are moments in this life — I mean this literally — when a pure unadulterated evil is unleashed on this world,” he said.

“This is an act of sheer evil.”

Hamas, whose army reportedly murdered up to 40 babies in the latest account of bloodshed, has warned it will begin broadcasting the execution of hostages if Israel targets “innocent civilians”.

Originally published as Gigi Hadid addresses Israel, Palestine conflict in lengthy statement