Los Angeles: Hollywood celebrities have issued an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, calling on him to help stem the escalating Israeli-Palestinian violence in recent weeks.
“We ask that, as President of the United States, you call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost,” said the letter.
The letter was issued by Artists4Ceasefire, a coalition of high-profile Hollywood stars, artists, celebrities and political advocates. As of Sunday afternoon, 95 celebrities have signed the open letter.
“All life is sacred, no matter faith or ethnicity,” the letter said. “We condemn the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians.”
Noting that many of those being forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip are children, refugees and their descendants, the stars said in the letter, “Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them.”
“Children and families in Gaza have practically run out of food, water, electricity, medicine and safe access to hospitals, following days of air strikes and cuts to all supply routes,” the urgent warning of UNICEF’s spokesperson, James Elder, was quoted by the letter as saying.
They also urged all world leaders to “honor all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay — an end to the bombing of Gaza, and the safe release of hostages.”
The signatories hoped that their letter to Biden would help galvanize immediate humanitarian action.
“Beyond our pain and mourning for all of the people there and their loved ones around the world, we are motivated by an unbending will to stand for our common humanity. We stand for freedom, justice, dignity and peace for all people — and a deep desire to stop more bloodshed,” the letter said.
