Celebrities Who Have Spoken Out in Support of Palestinians

A number of celebrities have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the fighting in Israel and Gaza—with some expressing support for Palestinians.

Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a major attack on Israel on Saturday, in a move that took the Israeli military and security services by surprise, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu subsequently declared: "We are at war."

At least 700 people have been killed in Israel and more than 400 in Gaza, the Associated Press reported. Since Saturday, Israel has carried out attacks against Hamas, launching "Operation Swords of Iron."

Hezbollah, an Iran-backed organization that the U.S. considers a terrorist group alongside Hamas, on Sunday launched a barrage of mortar shells into Israel. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) fired artillery back into Lebanon. No casualties were reported on either side, according to Reuters.

As the conflict captures international headlines, many celebrities are using social media to express their sympathy and support for Israel. Some have shared neutral messages, while others have shown support for the Palestinian people.

Mia Khalifa has been the most vocal among them. On Saturday, the former adult film star shared a message on X, formerly Twitter, that led to her firing from her role as an adviser at Red Light Holland, which produces and distributes magic mushrooms. It has also been reported that Playboy has severed ties with her.

"Can someone please tell the freedom fighters in Palestine to flip their phones and film horizontal," read Khalifa's social media post.

Seeking to clarify her sentiments, Khalifa wrote in an X post on Monday: "I just want to make it clear that this statement in no way shape or form is [inciting] spread of violence, I specifically said freedom fighters because that's what the Palestinian citizens are... fighting for freedom every day."

After Red Light Holland CEO Todd Shapiro criticized the "film horizontal" post and informed Khalifa via X that she had been fired, she responded: "I'd say supporting Palestine has lost me business opportunities, but I'm more angry at myself for not checking whether or not I was entering into business with Zionists. My bad."

In a separate post, Lebanese-born Khalifa said: "I just wanna make sure there's 4k footage of my people breaking down the walls of the open air prison they've been forced out of their homes and into so we have good options for the history books that write about how how they freed themselves from apartheid.

"Please worry about your sad little company lacking direction and purpose before you utter my name again. I stand with all people fighting oppression, now and always, do your research before begging for my investment in your little project, I'm from LEBANON, are you insane for expecting me to be on the side of colonialism you f****** weirdo."

Responding to radio host and wrestler Peter Rosenberg's criticism of her post, Khalifa wrote: "I stand with all oppressed people, everywhere, until no one is fighting for freedom.

"I'm from Lebanon, I've lived through more air [raids] by the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] than your tiny privileged brain could ever know how to work through.

"[You] know nothing but tall tales of a land that doesn't belong to you, created by a military that has nothing to do with your peaceful god loving religion. Don't you ever disrespect me and my experience with what geopolitical war is again you man child."

Palestinian American model Gigi Hadid has shared a statement on the conflict on Instagram.

She wrote: "My thoughts are with all those affected by the unjustifiable tragedy, and every day that innocent lives are taken by this conflict—too many of which are children.

"I have deep empathy and heartbreak for the Palestinian struggle and life under occupation, it's a responsibility I hold daily. 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."

Hadid added: "The terrorizing of innocent people is not in alignment with & does not do any good for the 'Free Palestine' movement. The idea that it does has fueled a painful, decades-long cycle of back&forth retaliation (which no innocent civilian, Palestinian or Israeli, deserves to be a victim of) and helps perpetuate the false idea that being Pro-Palestine = antisemitic."

Swedish singer Zara Larsson has also shared a take on the conflict. Posting a photo of herself on her Instagram Story, Larsson added the caption: "Oh so it's stand with Ukraine when Russia invades but not Palesti-."

A number of other celebrities have expressed support for Palestinian people in recent years.

In 2021, tensions soared in the region over a delayed Israeli court ruling on whether authorities could evict several Palestinians from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, outside the Old City, to make room for Jewish settlers.

Egyptian-born soccer star Mohamed Elneny, who plays for English Premier League club Arsenal, shared a trio of photos that featured the Palestinian flag. In an accompanying caption, he wrote: "my heart and my soul and my support for you Palestine."

Gigi Hadid and her model sister Bella have frequently spoken out in support of Palestinians. On Instagram in 2021, Gigi Hadid reshared a graphic that reads "You Will Not Erase Palestine," along with a post about the conflict by journalist and activist Noor Tagouri.

"We should all unequivocally agree that suddenly being kicked out of your family home, the homes you've built lives in, by a military state, is criminal and inhumane," the post reads in part.

"This is not a religion thing," Tagouri continued. "Even if that is what you have heard, it has never been a religion thing. The story sounds better that way. This is a political thing. One that deserves resolution for both Palestinians and Israelis."

Bella Hadid shared some of the same posts to her own social media at the time. She also reposted a story that their older sister, Alana Hadid, had shared.

"My sisters and I, we speak in a family group chat every day. Mostly about Palestine and all that goes on. It is so hard to put into words how I feel," Bella Hadid added to her sister's post.

"I feel the pain of my ancestors. I cry for them. I cry for my Palestinian brothers and sisters, there now, feeling unsafe and scared. This needs to stop, there is NO room for this in 2021!!!! My sister [Alana] wrote perfectly how I feel today. We are proud [to be] Palestinian and we stand with Palestine."

Singer Dua Lipa, who was dating the Hadid sisters' younger brother Anwar Hadid at the time, showed her support by sharing the #SaveSheikhJarrah hashtag to her Instagram stories, along with artwork from designer duo Mothanna Hussein and Hadi Alaeddin.

Responding to the public stance taken by Lipa and the Hadid sisters, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, head of the nonprofit World Values Network, called the stars "mega-influencers" who have "accused Israel of ethnic cleansing" and "vilified the Jewish State" in a full-page ad taken out in The New York Times.

Hitting back, Lipa wrote in an X post to "reject the false and appalling allegations."

"I take this stance because I believe that everyone—Jews, Muslims and Christians—have the right to live in peace as equal citizens of a state they choose," she added. "I stand in solidarity with all oppressed people and reject all forms of racism."

Former One Direction singer Zayn Malik, who has a child with Gigi Hadid, made his stance known back in 2014, when he posted the oft-used hashtag "#FreePalestine" on his X account.

That same year, musician Rihanna and basketball player Dwight Howard shared the same hashtag on X. According to Vox, both stars later deleted their posts.

Harry Potter star Emma Watson waded into the conversation with an Instagram repost shared in January 2022. The post showed a collage emblazed with the words "solidarity is a verb." In the background were protesters bearing Palestinian flags.

"Solidarity does not assume that our struggles are the same struggles, or that our pain is the same pain, or that our hope is for the same future," read an accompanying quote attributed to feminist scholar Sara Ahmed. "Solidarity involves commitment, and work, as well as the recognition that even if we do not have the same feelings, or the same lives, or the same bodies, we do live on common ground."

The post was met with condemnation from some Israeli officials, who accused Watson of antisemitism.

Watson was subsequently defended by a host of stars that included Susan Sarandon, Mark Ruffalo, Gael García Bernal and Viggo Mortensen—all of whom joined forces for a letter made public days after the Instagram post.

Organized by Artists for Palestine UK, a cultural network that describes itself as "standing together for Palestinian rights," the letter read: "We join Emma Watson in support of the simple statement that 'solidarity is a verb,' including meaningful solidarity with Palestinians struggling for their human rights under international law."

Update 10/12/23, 11:20 a.m. ET: This article was updated to add comments from Gigi Hadid and other information.