Bella and Gigi Hadid, U.S.-based supermodels, have pledged to donate $1 million to Palestinian relief efforts. According to a BBC report, the donation will be evenly distributed among organizations providing humanitarian aid to those affected in Gaza. Since October 2023, Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of over 36,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
The sisters, along with their Palestinian-origin father Mohamed Anwar Hadid, have been outspoken supporters of the Palestinian cause. They frequently share images of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and emphasize that they hold no ill will toward the Jewish people.
“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. While I have hopes and dreams for Palestinians, none of them include the harm of a Jewish person,” Gigi Hadid wrote in an Instagram post expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Following U.S. President Joe Biden’s proposal of a three-stage truce plan for Gaza, uncertainty persists on the Israeli side despite Hamas showing interest in the strategy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces significant pressure from far-right ministers in his Cabinet, who threaten to resign if the government adopts Biden’s plan.
“We demand the continuation of the war until Hamas is destroyed and all hostages return,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich posted on X. He opposed the return of displaced Gazans to the territory’s north and the “wholesale release of terrorists.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, known for his candid opinions, declared that his party would “dissolve the government” if the deal proceeded, condemning the proposal as “a victory for terrorism and a security risk to the State of Israel.”
On Friday, Joe Biden unveiled a three-step Gaza truce plan: initiating a six-week truce involving hostage and prisoner exchanges alongside increased aid efforts, followed by establishing a lasting ceasefire and withdrawing Israeli troops from Gaza, and finally focusing on comprehensive reconstruction efforts.
