“Condemning the Israeli government is not antisemitic and supporting Palestinians is not supporting Hamas.” In October, during the early stages of Israel's war on Gaza, American supermodel Gigi Hadid stirred up a storm when she shared this in a pro-Palestinian post on Instagram. Her sister, Bella Hadid opened up in an interview saying she had received “hundreds of death threats” and lost jobs because of her stance amid Israel’s war on Gaza.
In an Instagram post, later, she reiterated it saying she still chose to speak because fear was not an option. “I can not be silenced any longer,” she said.
The Hadid sisters, who are of Palestinian descent, have been vocal about their views on the age-old war by Israel on Gaza and have advocated for Palestinians on multiple occasions over the years. The Palestinian cause resonates deeply with their own family who had to flee Palestine in the 1940s.
Gigi and Bella's father, Mohamed Hadid, and his parents were forced to leave Palestine during the 1947–1949 Palestine War. Their grandfather was determined not to live under Israeli occupation. They ultimately took refuge in Syria. In one of his testimonies, Mohamed Hadid spoke about how they lost their home in Safad "to a Jewish family that we sheltered". "They made us refugees and they kicked us out of our own home," he stated.
Gigi Hadid faced severe backlash online and was called out by the State of Israel Instagram account when she posted a graphic from the war on her Instagram story with the caption, “There is nothing Jewish about the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinians..”
The post sparked outrage among the social media community with many demanding her modelling agency to terminate her contract. Some accused her of spreading antisemitic sentiments. The State of Israel commented, “Have you been sleeping the past week or are you just fine turning a blind eye to Jewish babies being butchered in their homes? Your silence has been very clear about where you stand. We see you.”
Subsequently, she followed up with another post clarifying her stance, “While I have hopes and dreams for Palestinians, none of them include the harm of a Jewish person…If you are hurting, as I share my condolences today with my loved ones, both Palestinian and Jewish, I’m sending you my love & strength – whoever and wherever you are,“ the post read.
Again, in November, Gigi Hadid wrote on Instagram, “...I also want to reiterate that attacking any human, which of course includes Jewish people, is NEVER OK. Taking innocent people hostage is NEVER OK. Harming someone BECAUSE they are Jewish is NEVER OK. It is wrong. To want freedom and humane treatment for Palestinians and to also want safety for Jewish people can both be important to the same person including myself.”
Meanwhile, Bella Hadid continued to stay vocal about the Palestinian suffering. “The people and children of Palestine, especially in Gaza, cannot afford our silence. We are not brave, they are,” her Instagram post read.
Bella Hadid shared that her father was born in Nazareth during the Nakba in 1948, a period marked by the displacement of 750,000 Palestinians. Just nine days after his birth, her father, held by his mother, and their family were expelled from their Palestinian home, becoming refugees, unable to return. Bella emphasised that her family endured 75 years of violence against the Palestinian people
“My family witnessed 75 years of violence against Palestinian people – most notable, brutal settler invasions which led to the destruction of entire communities, murder in cold blood and the forcible removal of families from their homes. The practice of settlements on Palestinian land still continues to this day. The pain of that is unimaginable.”
On the flip side, Israeli actress Gal Gadot also encountered criticism, but for different reasons. She faced disapproval for her pro-Israeli stance and her posts condemning Hamas. “I stand with Israel, you should too. The world cannot sit on the fence when these horrific acts of terror are happening!” she said on Instagram.
The Wonder Woman actress also arranged a screening of unedited footage capturing the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel on November 9. The 43-minute film, titled "Bearing Witness," included graphic and violent content showcasing atrocities by Hamas, with some footage reportedly shot by the group.
Reportedly, multiple fights erupted outside the screening venue, the Museum of Tolerance in LA, as seen in viral videos on social media. Gal Gadot faced social media backlash for her perceived support of genocide.
Numerous celebrities have faced criticism for taking either a pro-Israeli or pro-Palestinian stance, leading many to clarify their positions in response to the controversy. Amy Schumer, Noah Schnapp, and Kylie Jenner received criticism for their pro-Israeli stance, while Mia Khalifa, Angelina Jolie, and John Cusack have expressed support for Palestine.
