Gigi Hadid has taken a heartfelt step to address the heartbreaking conflicts in Israel. If you’ve been out of the loop, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel over the weekend, leading to a devastating loss of lives.
The attack has already claimed the lives of at least 900 people, and it’s not just the loss of life but also the hostage situation, with at least 100 people being held captive. It’s a dire situation, and the death toll keeps rising, particularly in Gaza, which has witnessed at least 765 lives lost due to retaliatory airstrikes.
What makes this situation even more poignant is that Gigi Hadid’s connection to Palestine runs deep. Her father, Mohamed Hadid, was born in Palestine, and the family has consistently voiced their support for the “Free Palestine” movement over the years.
Now, Gigi has chosen to use her platform to express her thoughts on the ongoing crisis in Israel. In a statement posted on her Instagram, she wrote, “My thoughts are with all those affected by this unjustifiable tragedy, and every day that innocent lives are taken by this conflict – too many of which are children. I have deep empathy and heartbreak for the Palestinian struggle and life under occupation, it’s a responsibility I hold daily.”
But she didn’t stop there. Gigi made it abundantly clear that her hopes and dreams for Palestinians do not involve causing harm to Jewish individuals.
“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.”
She emphasized that the terrorizing of innocent people doesn’t align with the “Free Palestine” movement and only fuels a cycle of back-and-forth retaliation that results in the suffering of innocent civilians, be they Palestinian or Israeli. Gigi firmly believes that being Pro-Palestine does not equate to being antisemitic.
“The terrorizing of innocent people is not in alignment with & does not do any good for the ‘Free Palestine’ movement. 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.”
In her final words, she expressed a heartfelt prayer for the safety of innocent lives:
“If you are hurting, as I share my condolences today with my loved ones, both Palestinian and Jewish, I’m sending you my love & strength — whoever and wherever you are. There are a lot of complex, personal, and valid feelings, 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.”
In times of conflict and suffering, Gigi’s message is one of unity, empathy, and a shared desire for peace and justice for all.
