A group of 55 artists and entertainment industry representatives have signed an open letter to US President Joe Biden. As reported by Variety, among others, they are calling on Biden to work towards a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel. The signatories include prominent names such as Oscar winners Joaquin Phoenix, Mahershala Ali, Susan Sarandon and Cate Blanchett. Other greats such as actress Kristen Stewart, musician Riz Ahmed, comedian Ramy Youssef and presenter Jon Stewart also signed the call.
It literally says: “We ask you, as President of the United States, to call for immediate de-escalation and a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the last week and a half – a number “which every person of conscience knows is catastrophic. We believe that all life is sacred, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and we condemn the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians.”
Unicef spokesman James Elder also has his say in the statement. According to him, after days of air strikes and disruptions to all supply routes, children and families in Gaza have virtually no food, water, electricity, medicine and safe access to hospitals. The humanitarian situation has therefore reached a deadly low point and yet all reports point to further attacks. Mercy – and international law – must take precedence.
After Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israeli civilians – with more than 1,400 dead, over 4,000 injured and around 200 people abducted – the Israeli armed forces have been attacking Hamas positions throughout the Gaza Strip with massive air strikes for days. This often results in civilian casualties; also because, according to observers, Hamas uses the civilian population as a protective shield and, among other things, actively hinders the flight to the south of the Gaza Strip demanded by Israel.
Israel hermetically sealed off the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip a few hours after the terrorist attack. Aid deliveries have only been reaching people in the Gaza Strip via a border crossing with Egypt since the early morning of October 21st. Israel announced that it would completely destroy Hamas militarily. A ground offensive appears imminent.
