American model sisters Gigi Hadid (L) and Bella Hadid arrive at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. (Credit: Johannes Eisele/AFP)
American-Palestinian models Gigi and Bella Hadid donated a million dollars to four associations providing aid for Palestinians in Gaza, where eight months of a relentless Israeli offensive has caused a catastrophic humanitarian situation.
The four NGOs receiving the Hadid sisters’ donation are HEAL Palestine, Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF), World Central Kitchen (WCK) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
UNRWA is the primary support network for Palestinian refugees throughout the region and faced a financial crisis when Israel accused 12 of its members of participating in the Oct. 7 attacks. Dozens of countries pulled their funding before an independent investigation found Israel did not provide any evidence of its accusations.
While this donation is the models’ first publicly announced financial contribution, they have been vocal about Palestine while in the spotlight. At last month's Cannes Film Festival, Bella Hadid wore a gown embellished with kuffiyeh motifs, a symbol of the Palestinian struggle. "Educate yourself about the occupation and genocide currently taking place in Gaza,” she wrote last week on Instagram. “Don't become desensitized to the horror endured by the Palestinian people." Bella Hadid has more than 61 million followers.
The Hadid sisters are not the only celebrities to show their support for Palestinians. Several French rappers, including Alpha Wann, TIF and PLK, donated the proceeds from their May 22 concert at the Zenith in Paris to the humanitarian organization Medical Aid for Palestinians. Last week, American singer John Legend announced on Instagram that he and his wife had donated $100,000 to the NGO Save the Children.
"No place is safe in Gaza,” Legend wrote in a post. “Children are being killed at a breakneck speed, entire families are being wiped out. The worst-case scenario is becoming reality. Children and their families need more than words, they need action.”
Blockout2024, an online campaign launched in the USA on May 6, 2024 at the Met Gala in New York, encourages Internet users to block celebrities on social networks if they don't use their platform and influence to denounce the violence committed by Israel in Gaza. The movement is ubiquitous online, affecting many celebrities. American singers Taylor Swift and Beyoncé have lost a few tens of thousands of subscribers, and Kim Kardashian has lost at least 800,000.
