Gigi Hadid has broken her silence to condemn the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel.
The Victoria’s Secret model and her sister Bella – who are of Palestinian descent – had been called out by fans on Twitter for not speaking out on the assault, which has so far left 1,600 people dead in Israel and Gaza.
Taking to Instagram, Gigi posted a long statement saying she did not stand with the ‘unjustifiable tragedy’ of the weekend, saying her thoughts are with those affected.
Speaking about her support of Free Palestine, stating it was a “responsibility she holds daily” as a woman in the public eye, she said she holds “deep empathy and heartbreak for the Palestinian struggle and life under occupation”.
The statement continues: “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.
“The terrorizing of innocent people is not in alignment with [and] does not do any good for the ‘Free Palestine’ movement.”
Read more: 17 Britons including children dead or missing in Israel after Hamas attacks
“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 casualty of) and helps perpetuate the false idea that being Pro-Palestine = antisemitic,” she added.
“If you are hurting as I share my condolences today with my loved ones, both Palestinian and Jewish, I’m sending you my love and strength – whoever and wherever you are.”
“There are a lot of complex, personal and valid feelings,” Gigi continued. “But every human deserves basic rights, treatment and security; no matter their nationality, religion, ethnicity or where they were born.
“I know my words will never be enough or heal the deep wounds of so many, but I pray for the safety of innocent lives, always.”
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Gigi’s father Mohamed, 74, is from Palestine, whose native Nazareth was occupied by Israeli forces just four months before he was born in 1948.
As a result, both the 28-year-old and her sister Bella, 27, have been vocal in their support of the Free Palestine movement.
However, Gigi has stated before she also doesn’t want to ‘separate groups in hatred’ and was ‘pro-existence’ in the face of the long-standing Palestine and Israeli war.
The pair’s silence on the Hamas attacks – as Israel prepares for a ground offensive on the Gaza strip in retaliation – was met with disdain from fans and celebrities alike.
Bella is yet to make a public comment on the Hamas attacks.
As many as 11 Hamas figureheads have reportedly already been killed as part of the retaliation.
There are also fears Iran – which has called for the destruction of Israel – entering the war would likely see much of the Middle East descend into conflict.
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