In the wake of a devastating Israeli air strike that caused a deadly fire in Rafah on Monday, killing 45 Palestinian refugees, celebrities from around the world have taken to social media to express their outrage and call for an immediate ceasefire.
Pakistani actor Faysal Quraishi took to his Instagram story to share his grief and solidarity with the victims. He penned, "All eyes on Rafah. All hearts for Rafah. All thoughts with Rafah. All prayers include Rafah." His words resonated with many who are mourning the loss of innocent lives and calling for an end to the violence.
Imran Abbas, another prominent Pakistani actor, made a powerful plea on Instagram: "Ceasefire now… What are we waiting for? Even the UK is raising its voice then why are we Muslims keeping silent? The answer is that you don’t need to belong to any religion to feel the pain of burning children and humans alive. There’s no justification for this heinous brutality."
Hollywood actor, famed for her role in Netflix series Wednesday, Jenna Ortega also expressed her distress, highlighting the ongoing plight of children in the conflict. In a post stressing the dystopian political discussions and the dire reality on the ground, the actor remarked, "Masses debating over a ceasefire while thousands upon thousands of children continue being slaughtered. Where is the humanity?"
Model and actor Saheefa Jabbar Khattak, who often turns to social media to amplify social causes, used her Instagram story to criticise many who draw parallels between Israel’s apartheid regime and Pakistan’s own lacking protection of its minorities. In a long note, she recalled Kim Kardashian’s recent proclamation of "All lives matter" in response to a call for Palestinian liberation.
Expressing her disagreement, Saheefa contended, "To those who suggest I should focus on my own country first and address the killings happening here, my response is: please do some research on ethnic cleansing, wars, and genocide. The atrocities happening to minorities in our country are also inhumane, wrong, and painful and should be condemned."
"But for God's sake, do not say that one should condemn one wrong but not the other. To the higher powers in the government of Pakistan, I implore you, as a taxpayer, as a citizen of your country, to put an end to the genocide in our country. No one deserves this atrocity. We cannot forget that our flag is incomplete without the color white, which represents our minorities who are also investing their hard work in Pakistan's growth and economy."
Saheefa’s detailed post continued to call for comprehensive education and activism: "Stop justifying genocide, unlawful killings, rapes, assaults, and violence. When the Black Lives Matter movement began, some people countered with 'all lives matter,' not because they meant it, but to divert attention from the main movement's narrative."
Her impassioned plea included a call for targeted boycotting and a nuanced understanding of the situation. The actor maintained, "It's not feasible to boycott every company on the list. I've stopped supporting many brands, as have many fellow influencers. Remember, the list is extensive, with hundreds of products from major companies. There's a reason for focused boycotting."
As per Saheefa, a wide untargetted boycott is "easier said than done" and may prove detrimental or impossible for "a third-world country with limited resources." "Don't boycott all 200 products. Research why we are targeting Coke, Starbucks, and McDonald's. They were the first to publicly fund and support genocides. They fed IDF soldiers while children in the Gaza Strip were brutally killed, raped, and left hungry in the streets. Please, I urge each of you to educate yourselves," she implored.
The collective voices of these celebrities reflect a growing global demand for Palestinian liberation and an end to Israel’s apartheid regime that continues to claim countless innocent lives. Their heartfelt messages have resonated widely, shedding light on the human cost of the conflict and urging immediate action to prevent further loss of life.
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