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Pink denies flying Israeli flags; 'Priscilla' LA premiere canceled amid Israeli-Palestinian war
View Date:2024-12-23 23:03:38
More celebrities are reacting to the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, where the death toll on both sides surpassed 4,000 on Monday, with thousands more wounded.
Pink and Riz Ahmed posted statements on social media as the world braced Monday for an expected Israeli ground invasion of Gaza aimed at crushing Hamas. Meanwhile, the Academy Museum Gala postponed its annual fundraiser, and a red carpet for the upcoming Sofia Coppola film "Priscilla" has been canceled.
Last week, over 700 actors, comedians, musicians, and power players of the Hollywood community signed an open letter denouncing Hamas' "barbaric acts of terrorism" in Israel and calling for the return of hostages.
Here's what more celebrities are saying.
Riz Ahmed calls for end to 'indiscriminate bombing' of Gazans
Oscar-winning British actor and rapper Riz Ahmed called for the end of the "indiscriminate bombing of Gaza's civilians and vital infrastructure, the denial of food, water, and electricity, and the forced displacement of people from their homes" on his social media platforms.
"These are indefensible war crimes," he continued. "We need to put ourselves in the shoes of the people of Gaza, now, before we all walk past the point of no return."
The "Sound of Metal" actor also denounced the actions of Hamas, calling the attack "horrific and wrong."
Pink denies flying Israeli flags on tour
Pink, who is currently on the North American leg of her Summer Carnival tour, claimed in an X post that she has received "many threats" from people who mistook Poi flags displayed at her live shows for Israeli flags. The singer clarified that the flags "were used many, many years ago by the Māori people in New Zealand and because they and the Māori people are beautiful to me, we use them."
"I have been using Poi flags since the beginning of this tour," she said. "I do not fly flags in my show in support of anything or anyone except the rainbow flag. That will remain my position."
She continued, "I am a human. I believe in peace. Equality. Love. I am deeply saddened by the state of the world. I pray for all of us."
Academy Museum Gala postponed where Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey were set to be honored
The war has caused reverberations in Hollywood, too.
On Oct. 12, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles announced the red carpet for its annual fundraising gala on Oct. 14 would be canceled "out of respect for the devastating conflict and loss of life happening overseas."
"The Academy Museum condemns all forms of hate and cruelty and stands in support of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives affected by the ongoing violence," the museum's statement reads.
Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Michael B. Jordan and Sofia Coppola were set to be honored at the event.
Los Angeles red carpet premiere of 'Priscilla' canceled
Similarly, the red-carpet premiere for the Sofia Coppola film "Priscilla," which is based on the love story of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, was canceled in response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," A24 Films confirmed to USA TODAY in an email.
"Out of respect for the events going on in the world, we will be forgoing a red carpet for the 'Priscilla' Los Angeles premiere," the studio said in an email to the press.
'Horrific':Gal Gadot, Gigi Hadid, Kim Kardashian support Israel amid Palestinian conflict
What is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
One of the world's most enduring and intractable conflicts connects to a century of competing claims to land, borders and rights in a region of deep historical and religious significance.
The United Nations in 1947 tried to divide the-then British Mandate of Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states. A year later, when the state of Israel was created, the first Arab-Israeli War broke out. Ever since Israel's victory and following several other wars, Palestinians have gradually been displaced from territory that they also see as their rightful homeland.
Gal Gadot, Jamie Lee Curtis among700 entertainers denouncing Hamas' terrorism in open letter
Israel-Hamas conflict live updates:Israel warns Iran, 'Don't test us,' as world braces for Gaza ground invasion
Contributing: John Bacon, KiMi Robinson, Kim Hjelmgaard, Phillip M. Bailey, Josh Meyer, Sudiksha Kochi, Francesca Chambers and Edward Segarra, USA TODAY
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