As the world was busy celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 12, several Hollywood stars sent a message to Jill Biden calling for a permanent ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The video features “Gilded Age” co-stars Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski, Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox, comedian and “Hot Girls” actress Ilana Glazer, U.S. Writer V (formerly Eve Ensler), comedian and television producer Rosie O’Donnell, and several other female stars. From the famous entertainment industry. The Sex and the City star took to X/Twitter to make a star-studded appeal to the First Lady of the United States on Mother’s Day. Additionally, the aforementioned celebrity tagged “Avengers” star Mark Ruffalo, who has been passionate about speaking out for Gaza causes, and shared the video message on Instagram.
This group of celebrities standing in solidarity with the Palestinian cause represents Artists4Ceasefire, described as “a collective of artists and advocates who have come together to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Israel and Palestine”. Official website.
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Artists4Ceasefire Message to Jill Biden
Nixon, Lennox and other prominent public figures addressed Dr. Jill Biden on Instagram: “The United Nations estimates that two mothers are killed every hour in Gaza. This Mother’s Day, we call on you as mothers , daughter, sister, grandmother and use your voice and your power as a human being…
Everyone else, please join us in demanding that our governments stop facilitating these atrocities. Please call (202) 224-3121 and tell your representatives and senators to support an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to the invasion of Rafah, the release of all hostages, and a massive delivery of aid. “
Their message cited a January 2024 report by UN Women, which reiterated that approximately 70% of those killed in Gaza were women and children, with “two mothers killed every hour.” Presumably, the data captures only “fully documented cases.”
In addition, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) also issued a report on May 3 stating that “the war in Gaza remains a war against women.” The report also stated that an average of 37 children in the Gaza Strip lose their mothers every day.
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The video message to Jill Biden continued: “Dr. Jill Biden, we call on you. We are mothers, daughters, grandmothers, sisters, advocates for peace and justice, and we are just human beings. Dr. Biden, We call on you. “We call on you today because we know you share these qualities, and because of the tremendous power you wield as First Lady of the United States, please, Dr. Biden, the world is watching and calling on you. Your influence, your moral clarity, your voice.
Stop the suffering, deliberate starvation, forced displacement, destruction, killing of Palestinian children, and massacre of the entire civilian population. We call on you to stop the ongoing Palestinian genocide. We know you care. We know the image of hungry children will break your heart. We call on you to use your authority to call for a permanent ceasefire and the release of all hostages. In order to provide immediate aid and keep humanitarian workers, doctors and journalists safe, and all civilians safe…as history is bearing witness…Dr. Biden, humanity must prevail. “
Despite not appearing in the video montage, the Incredible Hulk star simultaneously shared another post on social media reiterating the same sentiment.
Mark Ruffalo shared a photo on Instagram associated with the Artists4Ceasefire hashtag, writing: “The Israeli army’s attack on Rafah has left 1.3 million Palestinians taking refuge – including 600,000 children – Face catastrophic danger.
We need a permanent ceasefire now – not a moratorium or temporary ceasefire. The killing must stop!
There is no justification for killing children, in Gaza or anywhere.
President Biden and our elected leaders must act now to save lives and move us toward a future rooted in freedom, justice, dignity, and peace for all. “
The latest Reuters report on May 13 elaborated on the United Nations’ view on the matter, stating that the death toll in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas still exceeds 35,000.
“There are approximately 10,000 more bodies that still need to be fully identified, so once the details of those bodies are determined, which of them are children and which are women, they will be re-identified,” UN spokesman Farhan Haq said on Monday. .”The complete identification process has been completed. “
The comments sought to respond to questions raised by Israel last week about why the death toll for women and children changed suddenly. Responding to the claims, Haque said the figures only concern identified bodies – 7,797 children, 4,959 women, 1,924 elderly people and 10,006 men. “The Ministry of Health stated that the recording process to fully ascertain the details of the casualties is ongoing,” he added.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Mamostan went on to accuse Palestinian militant group Hamas of manipulating the figures, saying “they do not reflect the reality on the ground.”