Israel-Hamas conflict: 55 Hollywood stars Joaquin Phoenix, Cate Blanchett, Andrew Garfield, Dua Lipa call for ceasefire; say 'History is watching'

A-list Hollywood celebrities have penned a letter to US President Joe Biden, urging him to call for a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas.

According to reports, 55 A-list actors asked Biden to work to achieve an "immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost."

"We refuse to tell future generations the story of our silence, that we stood by and did nothing. As (UN) Emergency Relief Chief Martin Griffiths told UN News, 'History is watching'", they said in the letter, citing Griffiths' comment on Monday.



"We urge your administration, and all world leaders, to honour 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," said the letter, released by artists4ceasefire.org.

It continues, "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 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.'"



"Saving lives is a moral imperative."

The signatories include Susan Sarandon, Cate Blanchett, Joaquin Phoenix, Ramy Youssef, Andrew Garfield, Kristen Stewart, Quinta Brunson, Ramy Youssef, Riz Ahmed and Mahershala Ali among others.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the Islamist group launched a shock raid from the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials.

In response to the Hamas attack, Israeli bombers have levelled entire city blocks in Gaza in preparation for a ground invasion they say is coming soon. The Hamas-run health ministry said more than 4,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the onslaught.



Friday's letter, which was also signed by Jon Stewart, singer Dua Lipa and Channing Tatum, comes a week after hundreds of Hollywood figures signed an open letter condemning the "barbaric acts" committed by Hamas fighters.





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