'Forgive me for my silence': Bella Hadid speaks out against 'horrific' war on Gaza

Dutch-Palestinian model Bella Hadid issued a statement in support of the people of Gaza on social media on Thursday as Israel continued its bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

The heartfelt statement, which was released on Instagram alongside a short video by Palestinian-Canadian singer Nemahsis, spoke of the "urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza that must be attended to".

"Forgive me for my silence. I have yet to find the ideal words for this deeply intricate and horrific past 2 weeks, weeks that have turned the world's attention back towards a situation that has been taking innocent lives and affecting families for decades," she said.

"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 of 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, and friends who will never again walk this earth," she added.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Bella 🦋 (@bellahadid)

Hadid condemned Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip which so far killed at least 7,326 Palestinians, including almost 3,000 children, as well as the Hamas attack on southern Israel that reportedly killed 1,400 Israelis.

"I believe deep in my heart, that no child, no people anywhere, should be taken away from their family either temporarily or indefinitely," she said. "That goes for Israeli and Palestinian people alike."

Hadid also spoke of the personal struggle that her family has been dealing with over the ongoing war, including receiving "hundreds of death threats daily" and having her phone number leaked.

"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 can not be silenced any longer. Fear is not an option. The people and children of Palestine, especially in Gaza, cannot afford our silence. We are not brave - they are," she said.

In addition to its indiscriminate bombing, that has flattened entire districts of Gaza, Israel has laid complete siege to the territory, cutting off essential supplies of water, food, and fuel and allowing only a limited number of aid trucks into the strip through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.