Priyanka Chopra used Instagram Stories on Monday to repost a message urging a ceasefire in Palestine, where thousands of children and teenagers are dying and going missing under Israeli assault. UNICEF, a United Nations organisation tasked with helping children worldwide with humanitarian relief and development projects, shared the original post.
An excerpt from the post that Priyanka Chopra reposted quoted UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell as saying, “Children need a lasting humanitarian ceasefire.”
When UNICEF first uploaded the picture on Instagram on December 2, the caption included the following sentence: “Today, the Gaza Strip is once again the most dangerous place in the world to be a child. After seven days of respite from horrific violence, fighting has resumed. More children will surely die as a result. Before the pause, more than 5,300 Palestinian children were reportedly killed in 48 days of relentless bombing – a figure that does not include many children still missing and presumed to be buried under rubble.”
Additionally, the caption stated, “We call on all parties to ensure that children are protected and assisted, in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law. All children in the state of Palestine and Israel deserve peace and hope for a better future – statement by UNICEF executive director, Catherine Russell, on the resumption of fighting in Gaza.”
In November, many well-known individuals signed an open letter urging de-escalation and a ceasefire in Gaza in response to the growing number of Palestinian deaths. The appeal was addressed to US President Joe Biden and members of Congress. Priyanka Chopra was among the artists calling for a ceasefire, in addition to several celebrities like Richard Gere, Hasan Minhaj, Gigi, and Bella Hadid.
Hollywood is being split along Israel-Hamas lines as celebrities are being criticised for their stance on supporting Palestine or Israel. Gal Gadot is supporting Israel and backing its onslaught on Palestine, while Gigi Hadid and other celebrities have been posting pro-Palestine content. Following her remarks at a pro-Palestine demonstration last month, Susan Sarandon was dismissed as a client by the Hollywood talent agency UTA. Susan has now expressed regret for the comments she made at the event.