Faryal Makhdoom threatened to stop posting against Israel or ‘face severe consequences’

YouTube celebrity and former British boxer Amir Khan’s wife, Faryal Makhdoom, recently shared that she has received threats over her support for Palestine. The celeb posted a screenshot of a threatening message she received on WhatsApp from an anonymous Israeli caller ID. “Let's make this quite simple. If you support Israel and cease posting about Palestine, we will ensure you are rewarded lucratively. If you don't or if this is publicised, there will be severe consequences. Your choice Mrs Faryal. Take care,” the message read.

“I got this message last night,” Makhdoom explained in the overlaying text on the post, appearing unfazed. “Like it's going to stop me from posting the truth.”

Makhdoom is one of the many public figures using her fanbase to draw attention to Israeli aggression in Gaza and the West Bank since tensions in the region escalated after Hamas’ attack on Southern Israel on October 7. She took to her Instagram account to share a series of pro-Palestine posts and went on to condemn the Israeli government’s longstanding occupation of the Palestinian territories. Makhdoom also took her fellow celebrities to task for not taking a stand against the intensifying atrocities in Gaza.

Fan reactions to the post ranged from concern to appreciation for her continued support for Palestinians with a strong backlash from her pro-Israel audience. “Not condemning Hamas for beheading babies in front of their parents? Hamas are the Palestinians’ worst enemy. They could have turned Gaza into a Singapore of the Middle East. Instead, their only desire is to kill Jews at the expense of their own people,” shot back one user in the comments.

Makhdoom rubbished the viral claim as unverified, stating, “...all claims of supposed beheaded babies couldn’t be substantiated and in fact, were retracted by the White House all news outlets.” The celebrity also called Hamas a resistance group, born out of the deplorable conditions of the besieged Gaza strip. “If someone came into your home, kicked you out, killed your family and didn't let you back in, I'm sure you'd also resist,” she added. Previously, the model sister duo, Gigi and Bella Hadid, also reportedly received threats for criticising Israel which forced the family to change mobile numbers.