Israel-Hamas war: Gigi Hadid, Emma Watson, Dua Lipa, Mia Khalifa, others react to conflict

Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, Emma Watson, Zara Larsson, Mia Khalifa, Zayn Malik and other celebrities expressed their perspectives regarding the violence in Israel and Gaza on their social media platforms. 

The Israeli military and security agencies were caught off guard when the Palestinian group Hamas launched a significant strike on Israel on Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then proclaimed, "We are at war."

The United States, along with Hamas, classifies Hezbollah, an organisation supported by Iran, as a terrorist organisation. On Sunday, Hezbollah bombarded Israel with mortar bombs. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) retaliated against Lebanon with artillery. According to Reuters, neither side suffered any injuries.

Numerous celebrities are supporting Israel on social media as the situation dominates news around the world. While some have shown sympathy for the Palestinian people and some have given neutral messages.

Among them, Mia Khalifa has been the most outspoken. The former adult film star was publicly fired from her position as an adviser for Red Light Holland, which cultivates and sells magic mushrooms, after sharing a message on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday. She and Playboy reportedly no longer have ties, according to reports.

"Can someone please tell the freedom fighters in Palestine to flip their phones and film horizontal," read Khalifa's social media post.

Seeking to clarify her sentiments, Khalifa wrote in an X post on Monday, "I just want to make it clear that this statement in no way shape or form is [inciting] spread of violence, I specifically said freedom fighters because that's what the Palestinian citizens are... fighting for freedom every day."

In a separate post, Lebanese-born Khalifa said, "I just wanna make sure there's 4k footage of my people breaking down the walls of the open-air prison they've been forced out of their homes and into so we have good options for the history books that write about how they freed themselves from apartheid."

Swedish singer Zara Larsson also responded to the conflict. Sharing a photo of herself on her Instagram story, Larsson posted a caption that read, "Oh so it's stand with Ukraine when Russia invades but not Palesti-."

Many additional well-known figures have recently come out in favour of the Palestinian people.

Back in 2021, tensions in the area rose as a result of a postponed Israeli court decision about whether the government might force numerous Palestinians to leave their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, outside the Old City, in order to make place for Jewish settlers.

Egyptian-born soccer star Mohamed Elneny, who plays for English club Arsenal, shared a trio of photos that featured the Palestinian flag. In an accompanying caption, he wrote, "my heart and my soul and my support for you Palestine."

Model Gigi Hadid, whose father is Palestinian, shared artwork from an artist along with the phrase "You Will Not Erase Palestine" in a series of Instagram Story pictures around the time.

Hadid also posted a post by activist and journalist Noor Tagouri that described the tense situation.

"We should all unequivocally agree that suddenly being kicked out of your family home, the homes you've built lives in, by a military state, is criminal and inhumane," the post reads in part."

"This is not a religion thing," Tagouri continued. "Even if that is what you have heard, it has never been a religion thing. The story sounds better that way. This is a political thing. One that deserves resolution for both Palestinians and Israelis."

Hadid's sister, fellow model Bella Hadid also reposted a story that their older sister, Alana Hadid, shared on her own Instagram

"My sisters and I, we speak in a family group chat every day. Mostly about Palestine and all that goes on. It is so hard to put into words how I feel," Bella Hadid added to her sister's post.

"I feel the pain of my ancestors. I cry for them. I cry for my Palestinian brothers and sisters, there now, feeling unsafe and scared. This needs to stop, there is NO room for this in 2021!!!! My sister [Alana] wrote perfectly how I feel today. We are proud [to be] Palestinian and we stand with Palestine."

Singer Dua Lipa, who was dating the Hadid sisters' younger brother Anwar Hadid at the time, showed her support by sharing the #SaveSheikhJarrah hashtag to her Instagram stories, along with artwork from designer duo Mothanna Hussein and Hadi Alaeddin.

Responding to the public stance taken by Lipa and the Hadid sisters, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, the head of the World Values Network, called the stars "mega-influencers" who have "accused Israel of ethnic cleansing" and "vilified the Jewish State" in a full-page ad taken out in The New York Times.

Hitting back, Lipa wrote in an X post to "reject the false and appalling allegations" made against her by the World Values Network.

"I take this stance because I believe that everyone—Jews, Muslims and Christians—have the right to live in peace as equal citizens of a state they choose," she added. "I stand in solidarity with all oppressed people and reject all forms of racism."

Former One Direction singer Zayn Malik, who shares a child with Gigi Hadid, made his stance on the tensions known back in 2014 when he posted the oft-used hashtag "#FreePalestine" on his X account.

That same year, musician Rihanna and basketball player Dwight Howard shared the same hashtag on X. According to Vox, both stars later deleted their posts.

Emma Watson, a Harry Potter actress, entered the discussion in January 2022 with an Instagram repost. The article featured a collage that said, "Solidarity is a verb." Palestinian flag-waving demonstrators could be seen in the background.

"Solidarity does not assume that our struggles are the same struggles, or that our pain is the same pain, or that our hope is for the same future," read an accompanying quote attributed to feminist scholar Sara Ahmed. "Solidarity involves commitment, and work, as well as the recognition that even if we do not have the same feelings, or the same lives, or the same bodies, we do live on common ground."

Some Israeli officials criticised the post and charged Watson with antisemitism.

Following the Instagram post, a number of celebrities, including Susan Sarandon, Mark Ruffalo, Gael Garca Bernal, and Viggo Mortensen, came to Watson's defence. The letter they wrote together was made public a few days later.

Organised by Artists for Palestine UK, a cultural network that describes itself as "standing together for Palestinian rights," the letter read: "We join Emma Watson in support of the simple statement that 'solidarity is a verb,' including meaningful solidarity with Palestinians struggling for their human rights under international law."