The letter has received signatures from Ayo Edebiri , Cate Blanchett, Hasan Minhaj, Jeremy Strong, Joaquin Phoenix, and various others.
A group of 57 (and counting) Hollywood celebrities have written an open letter to President Joe Biden asking him to call for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine as the Israel-Hamas War rages on.
Andrew Garfield, Kristen Stewart, Oscar Isaac, Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, Cate Blanchett, Hasan Minhaj, Jeremy Strong and Joaquin Phoenix, among many others, signed the letter requesting an end to the “devastating loss of lives and unfolding horrors” in both countries.
“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,” it reads. “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.”
The letter, released by the Artists 4 Ceasefire organization, calls on the United States and other world leaders to acknowledge the lives affected in the region, halt the bombings in Gaza, and ensure the safe release of hostages. The signatories, including Ayo Edebiri, Cate Blanchett, Hasan Minhaj, Jeremy Strong, Joaquin Phoenix, and others, emphasize that half of Gaza’s population consists of children, with two-thirds being refugees or their descendants who were forced to leave their homes. They point out that over 6,000 bombs have been dropped on Gaza since the Hamas attacks on October 7, resulting in the tragic loss of one child’s life every 15 minutes.
The letter concludes with a commitment to uphold common humanity, freedom, justice, dignity, and peace for all people, expressing a strong desire to prevent further bloodshed and refusing to pass on a legacy of silence to future generations. signatures from Ayo Edebiri
This open letter to President Biden follows another demand for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza by Artists for Palestine UK, with signatories including Tilda Swinton, Miriam Margolyes, Charles Dance, Steve Coogan, Peter Mullan, Maxine Peake, and Khalid Abdalla. A group of Jewish American writers, artists, and academics has also called on President Biden to bring an end to the Israel-Hamas War.
It’s worth noting that the conflict in Israel and Gaza has drawn various responses and statements from different individuals and groups, reflecting the complexity and sensitivity of the situation.