Entertainment
Idris Elba calls for ‘bloodshed in Palestine to stop’ as he joins stars speaking out over Israel-Hamas conflict
Idris Elba has joined growing calls for the ‘bloodshed in Palestine to stop’ amid growing Israeli-Hamas violence.
At least 139 people now having died in Gaza, including 39 children, according to Palestinian health officials, and eight on the Israeli side.
Israel has warned that it will not consider a ceasefire until there is ‘total, long-term quiet’, as it continued to bombard Gaza with air strikes.
Amid the devastation, Idris has spoken out about the situation, urging for an intervention to be made.
‘Too many lives are being lost right now for it not to be on the forefront of all our awareness,’ the Luther actor wrote in a post on his Instagram page.
‘It’s the brutality and bloodshed that has compelled me to raise concern. IT HAS TO STOP, there needs to be more intervention before more people die.
‘We know the power of people can make change and we should speak out in the name of peace, in the names of those who have already lost lives.
‘STOP the bloodshed in #Palestine.’
Idris is the latest star speaking out over the conflict on social media, with Rihanna, Zayn Malik, and models Bella and Gigi Hadid demanding peace.
In a post shared on her Instagram, which has racked up more than 1million likes so far, Rihanna told fans: ‘My heart is breaking with the violence I’m seeing displayed between Israel and Palestine! I can’t bare to see it!
‘Innocent Israeli and Palestinian children are hiding in bomb shelters, over 40 lives lost in Gaza alone, at least 13 of whom were also innocent children!
‘There needs to be some kind of resolve! We are sadly watching innocent people fall victim to notions perpetuated by government and extremists and this cycle needs to be broken! [sic].’
She added the caption: ‘I stand with humanity! This ain’t it y’all!’
Hostilities between Israel and Hamas escalated with each side launching a series of aerial bombardments in some of the region’s worst violence since 2014.
The violence mounted following demonstrations in Jerusalem, where 300 Palestinians were injured in a police raid on the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, one of the holiest sites in Islam.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that militants will ‘pay a very heavy price’ for the rockets which reached Jerusalem, while the United Nations’ Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland has called for de-escalation.
He tweeted: ‘Stop the fire immediately. We’re escalating towards a full scale war. Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of de-escalation.
‘The cost of war in Gaza is devastating & is being paid by ordinary people. UN is working w/ all sides to restore calm. Stop the violence now.’
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