An injured child is brought to the Nassr hospital after the Israeli airstrikes in Khan Yunis, Gaza on October 19, 2023. I have joined with fellow filmmakers, actors, writers and artists — America Ferrera, Andrew Garfield, Cate Blanchett, Channing Tatum, Ilana Glazer, Indya Moore, Jessica Chastain, Joaquin Phoenix, Jon Stewart, Mahershala Ali, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Stipe, Quinta Brunson, Riz Ahmed, Wanda Sykes and others — in signing the letter below to President Biden asking him to call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost. Hamas and Israel must immediately stop the killing. Hamas must safely return all hostages. Israel must allow all humanitarian aide to enter Gaza. And everybody needs to calm the eff down, de-escalate and find a way to end this madness.
The vast majority of the American public agrees with this. Two separate polls in the past few days, one from CBS News, the other from Data for Progress, show that up to two-thirds of likely voters agree that the U.S. should be calling for a ceasefire, and the majority oppose increased military aide to Israel and favor immediate humanitarian aide to the Palestinians.
Dear President Biden,
We come together as artists and advocates, but most importantly as human beings witnessing the devastating loss of lives and unfolding horrors in Israel and Palestine.
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. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the last week and a half – a number any person of conscience knows is catastrophic. We believe all life is sacred, no matter faith or ethnicity and we condemn the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians.
We urge your administration, and 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. Half of Gaza’s two million residents are children, and more than two thirds are refugees and their descendants being forced to flee their homes. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them.
We believe that the United States can play a vital diplomatic role in ending the suffering and we are adding our voices to those from the US Congress, UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, The International Committee of The Red Cross, and so many others. Saving lives is a moral imperative. To echo UNICEF, “Compassion — and international law — must prevail.”
As of this writing more than 6,000 bombs have been dropped on Gaza in the last 12 days - resulting in one child being killed every 15 minutes.
"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. Gaza’s sole power plant ran out of fuel Wednesday afternoon, shutting down electricity, water and wastewater treatment. Most residents can no longer get drinking water from service providers or household water through pipelines.... The humanitarian situation has reached lethal lows, and yet all reports point to further attacks. Compassion — and international law — must prevail.” – UNICEF spokesperson James Elder
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.
We refuse to tell future generations the story of our silence, that we stood by and did nothing. As Emergency Relief Chief Martin Griffiths told UN News, “History is watching.”
Signed,
Alia Shawkat
Alyssa Milano
Amanda Seales
Amber Tamblyn
America Ferrera
Andrew Garfield
Ani DiFranco
Anoushka Shankar
Aria Mia Loberti
Ayo Edebiri
Bassam Tariq
Bassem Youssef
Bonnie Wright
Caroline Polachek
Cate Blanchett
Channing Tatum
Cherien Dabis
Darius Marder
David Cross
Dev Hynes
Diplo
Dominique Fishback
Dominique Thorne
Dua Lipa
Elvira Lind
Elyanna
Farah Bsaiso
Fatima Farheen Mirza
Hasan Minhaj
Hend Sabry
Ilana Glazer
Indya Moore
James Schamus
Jeremy Strong
Jessica Chastain
Jessie Buckley
Joaquin Phoenix
Jon Stewart
Kehlani
Kristen Stewart
Macklemore
Mahershala Ali
Margaret Cho
Mark Ruffalo
May Calamawy
Michael Malarkey
Michael Moore
Michael Stipe
Michelle Wolf
Miguel
Mo Amer
Natalie Merchant
Oscar Isaac
Quinta Brunson
Rachel Sennott
Ramy Youssef
Ravena Aurora
Riz Ahmed
Rooney Mara
Rosario Dawson
Rowan Blanchard
Ryan Coogler
Sandra Oh
Sebastian Silva
Shailene Woodley
Shaka King
Simi Haze
Stephanie Suganami
Susan Sarandon
Taylour Paige
Tommy Genesis
Vic Mensa
Victoria Monét
Wallace Shawn
Wanda Sykes
Yara Shahidi
https://www.artists4ceasefire.org/
Photo by Belal Khaled/Anadolu via Getty Images
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