Bella Hadid speaks up on Israel-Hamas war, reveals she receives 'hundreds of death threats daily'
Bella Hadid has ended her silence on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war despite having been the target of "hundreds of death threats" on a daily basis.
On her Instagram account, the American supermodel, who has a Palestinian father, detailed how the "deeply intricate and horrific past two weeks" have affected her well-being.
"I've been sent hundreds of death threats daily, my phone number has been leaked, and my family has felt to be in danger. But I cannot be silenced any longer. Fear is not an option," she wrote.
"My heart is bleeding with pain from the trauma I am seeing unfold, as well as the generational trauma of my Palestinian blood. Seeing the aftermath from the airstrikes in Gaza, I mourn with all the mothers who have lost children and the children who cry alone, all the lost fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, friends that will never again walk this earth," she added.
Hadid condemned the terrorist attacks on any civilian, especially the terror and trauma inflicted on women and children.
She went on to share the "harmful, shameful, and categorically untrue" stereotypes her father had experienced in the past because of his nationality.
"It's important to understand the hardship of what it is to be Palestinian, in a world that sees us as nothing more than terrorists resisting peace," Hadid wrote.
"My father was born in Nazareth in the year of the Nakba. Nine days after he was born, he, in his mother's arms, along with his family were expelled from their home of Palestine, becoming refugees away from a place they once called home," she continued.
Hadid said her family witnessed the "unimaginable pain" Palestinian people went through when their communities were destroyed.
"We must all stand together in defending humanity and compassion—and demanding that our leaders do the same. All religions are peace—it is governments that are corrupt," Hadid emphasized.
The model preceded her statement with a video compilation of Palestinian cities that have been ravaged by the war, soundtracked to an a cappella version of Team by Lorde.
Hadid's words inspired many of her followers, who took the time to praise her for speaking up about the issue in the comments section of her post.
"I use to love you but now you have my respect for life. Thank you for raising you’re voice and been truthful to the innocent in this world. You are an angel," one user wrote.
Another one commented, "Worded perfectly. Thank you for finding the courage to stand up. I send love to everyone affected and also to you and your family, no one should receive death threats or have to live in war. I pray for all."
The war started on Oct. 7, when Hamas fighters launched an attack on Israel on the Gaza Strip because of the centuries-long conflict between Israel and Palestine over the sovereignty of their territories.
According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza as reported by AP News, the total death toll is 7,028 Palestinians, including 2,913 minors as of Oct. 27.
