Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa and Drake sign Artists4Ceasefire letter to Joe Biden

Several US celebrities have signed an open letter to President Joe Biden, urging for a ceasefire in besieged Gaza.

According to their website, the organisation Artists4Ceasefire is “a collective of artists and advocates who have come together in response to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Israel and Palestine.”

They are calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the safe return of hostages, and the prompt delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza's civilians.

A number of celebrities including Palestinian Model Bella Hadid, who has used her social media to raise awareness about the war on Gaza and has included calls for donations on her Instagram page.

Similarly, “Thrift Shop” rapper Macklemore has released a song titled “HIND’S HALL,” with all proceeds benefiting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

However, some celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, and Justin Bieber, have faced criticism for not supporting the cause.

This has led to a social media movement called “blockout2024,” aiming to block these celebrities.

The movement gained momentum after the Met Gala, where celebrities were rumoured to have spent over $75,000 on tickets.

Kim Kardashian reportedly lost more than 50,000 followers within two hours of the movement starting.

In the midst of the Met Gala backlash, a number of celebrities have joined the “Artists call for ceasefire” list, including Andrew Garfield, Ariana Grande, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, Channing Tatum, Drake, Dua Lipa, Florence Pugh, Frank Ocean, Gigi Hadid, Jennifer Lopez, Jeremy Allen White, Joaquin Phoenix, Macklemore, Rachel McAdams, Tom Hardy, and Zayn Malik.

Israel has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians and wounded at least 77,000 since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and the taking of around 250 hostages.

The celebrities have all added their names to a letter to President Biden which reads,

“We come together as artists and advocates, but most importantly as human beings witnessing the devastating loss of lives and unfolding horrors in Israel and Palestine.

We ask that, as President of the United States, you and the US Congress call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost. More than 30,000 people have been killed over the last 5 months, and over 69,000 injured* – numbers that any person of conscience knows are catastrophic. We believe all life is sacred, no matter faith or ethnicity and we condemn the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians.

We urge your administration, Congress, 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. 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.”