Tag: Free Palestine

  • Bollywood legend Javed Akhtar lends voice against Israel bombing of Gaza

    Bollywood legend Javed Akhtar lends voice against Israel bombing of Gaza

    Israel forces bombed the Jabaliya refugee camp in Northern Gaza on Tuesday afternoon, leaving at least 50 dead, bringing the death toll to 8,525, including 3000 children. According to a report by the New York Times, Israeli officials justified the bombing to US counterparts by citing the 1945 Atomic bombs dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Israeli officials further explained that the mass civilian casualties were an “acceptable price” in its campaign against Hamas.

    Bollywood lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar expressed outrage over Gaza’s comparison to Hiroshima, tweeting:

    “So now Israel is justifying its indiscriminate round the clock bombing on helpless civilians of Gaza by giving example of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . !!! .. and the so-called civilised world is listening . They are the same people who teach us human rights .”

    A few days ago Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu lent her voice in calling out the atrocities taking place over Gaza by sharing a screenshot of two Palestinian children crying over their dead mother. In the caption she begged her followers to understand that children should be sparred during wars.

    READ MORE: After Sonam, Bollywood star Bipasha Basu speaks out against Gaza genocide

  • Senate of Pakistan stands with the people of Gaza, demands immediate ceasefire

    Senate of Pakistan stands with the people of Gaza, demands immediate ceasefire

    In a resolute effort to address the dire situation in Gaza, the Senate of Pakistan has passed a resolution, urging the Muslim Ummah to actively intervene and provide urgent assistance to innocent Muslims caught in the crossfire of the Gaza-Israel conflict.

    The resolution, tabled by Senator Irfan Siddiqui, highlighted the collective silence of the Muslim world, emphasizing the need for immediate action to curb the escalating violence.

    During the impassioned debate, Senator Siddiqui expressed disappointment over the lack of proactive measures from influential organizations like the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), urging them to stand up to Israel.

    He underscored the stark contrast between the vast geographic expanse of Muslim-populated lands and the Israeli state, yet the discrepancy in action remained striking.

    During his address to the Senate session, Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani raised concerns about the broadening extent of Israeli attacks, encompassing the West Bank and other areas, and expressed alarm regarding the loss of lives resulting from continued bombardments in Gaza strip and beyond.

    Jilani highlighted that the United Nations has compared Gaza to a “graveyard” due to the substantial loss of life.

    Mushahid Hussain Sayed took to X (former Twitter) and said, “Drafted unanimous resolution passed by Senate of Pakistan regarding GazaGenocide! Took a strong position reflecting full, unwavering & unconditional on supporting Palestine & beleaguered children, women & men of Gaza!”

    Office of the Chairman Senate’s account tweeted, “I, strongly condemn the reprehensible airstrike on Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp by Israeli Terrorists. The senseless and barbaric act of taking innocent women and children’s lives is a horrific atrocity that shocks the conscience of humanity.”

    Moreover, Senator Saadia Abbasi and Nisar Ahmed Khuhro emphasized Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with Palestine, condemning the establishment of the state of Israel as illegal and underscoring the historical context of Pakistan’s support for the Palestinian cause.

    Senator Hafiz Abdul Kareem made his speech in Arabic, after obtaining special permission granted by the Chairman of the Senate.

    Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan made a speech to appreciate the people of Hamas and Gaza.

    Their unified voices condemned the ongoing violence as nothing short of the systematic genocide of the Palestinian people.

    The resolution was supported by a heartfelt speech delivered in Arabic by Senator Hafiz Abdul Kareem, condemning the atrocities committed by Israel.

    Additionally, senators urged the expulsion of Israeli diplomats from Islamic countries, expressing the belief that such a move could pave the way for the resolution of the Palestine issue.

    Amidst the session, the Senate Chairman emphasized the significance of preserving the resolution in the Senate records, solidifying Pakistan’s commitment to the cause.

    The senators called for increased financial and humanitarian aid to be extended to the embattled people of Palestine.

    In a gesture of solidarity, Senator Ahmed Omar Ahmadzai strongly denounced the killing of innocent civilians and children in Gaza, emphasizing the need for active protection from Muslim countries.

    Saleem Mandviwalla commended the Turkish President’s support for the Palestinian people, while Muhammad Qasim highlighted the alarming scale of the atrocities perpetrated against the Palestinians, labeling it as nothing short of genocide.

    This resolution serves as a testament to Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and its commitment to seeking justice and peace for the affected people of Gaza.

  • Martin Luther King’s daughter schooling Amy Schumer over her Islamophobia is the treat the internet deserves

    Martin Luther King’s daughter schooling Amy Schumer over her Islamophobia is the treat the internet deserves

    Comedian Amy Schumer has been consistently critcised by social media users for her pro-Israel stance as well her Islamophobic response to the Israeli genocide. On Tuesday night, the internet got a rare, but chef’s kiss treat when her attempt to twist the words of the late American activist Martin Luther King Jr were quickly shut down by no one other than his daughter Bernice King. Seriously, we’d delete our existence if this happens to us.

    Here’s what happened: Amy Schumer tried to make a living out of becoming a genocide cheerleader, posting a video of Martin Luther King speaking about anti-Semitism and its harmful consequences. Schumer tried to play it off as proof that he supported the creation of Israel. Bernice King, the daughter of King and an activist herself, stepped in to remind her that Martin remained anti-military his entire life. His response, Bernice tweeted to Amy, would have been to call for a ceasefire.

    “Certainly, my father was against antisemitism, as am I. He also believed militarism (along with racism and poverty) to be among the interconnected Triple Evils. I am certain he would call for Israel’s bombing of Palestinians to cease, for hostages to be released…”

    When the daughter of THE Martin Luther King Jr tells you not to spread propaganda in his name, we think it’s best to just stop. The internet was overjoyed at witnessing the schooling.

    the daughter of THE Martin Luther King Jr tells you not to spread propaganda under her name, we think it’s best to not be on that side. The internet was overjoyed to witness this schooling.

    “Bernice A. King defending her father’s legacy from Amy Schumer is the one of the best uno reverse moves I’ve seen this year.”

    “The way uninformed, ignorant, stupid people force this woman to defend her father’s legacy is so disgusting. Like, can y’all pick someone OTHER than MLK to lecture us about since you’re obviously too lazy to actually read anything he actually said,” another user wrote

    “Amy Schumer cherry picking Dr Martin Luther King’s words to condone genocide, only for her to be corrected by Dr King’s daughter Bernice, who knows exactly what her father’s message was.”

  • ‘You call yourself a philanthropist?’: Twitter users roast Selena Gomez over tone-deaf view on Gaza genocide

    ‘You call yourself a philanthropist?’: Twitter users roast Selena Gomez over tone-deaf view on Gaza genocide

    Hollywood actress and singer Selena Gomez was slammed by social media users online after her neutral take on the ongoing Gaza genocide. Al-Jazeera reports that intense bombing continue to target Gaza with the death toll already crossing 8000 including more than 3000 children.

    Selena, whose Instagram following stands at 430 million, shared a statement on her stories writing she was heartbroken to witness the horror, naming neither Palestine nor Israel:

    “I’ve been taking a break from social media because my heart breaks to see all of the horror, hate, violence and terror that’s going on in the world. People being tortured and killed or any act of hate towards any one group is horrific. We need to protect all people, especially children and stop the violence for good.”

    The last comment, “I wish I could change the world. But a post won’t,” triggered outrage.

    selena gomez is being so stupid right now. she is downplaying her massive following and being hypocritical. if a post can’t help change the world why call yourself a philanthropist?? why post about mental health, blm, womens rights, american elections etc etc” a user wrote.

    Many compared the ‘Only Murders In The Building’ actor’s response to the Ukraine war to this, criticising her for not considering brown lives as important as white ones.

    Others criticised the actress for responding in the same tone-deaf manner in 2016 when she was criticised over her silence on the Black Lives Matter protests.

    Many criticised the statement for being incredibly tone-deaf, pointing out the actress was privileged enough to take a break from social media during the genocide but people in Gaza couldn’t turn away from the violence.

  • After Sonam, Bollywood star Bipasha Basu speaks out against Gaza genocide

    After Sonam, Bollywood star Bipasha Basu speaks out against Gaza genocide

    Bollywood star Bipasha Basu has lent her voice to the growing call of protestors demanding an end to the genocide in Gaza. Al-Jazeera reports that almost 8000 civilians have been killed due to Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, with more than 3000 children among them.

    The actress shared a picture showing two children crying next to their dead mother, surrounded by destroyed buildings. In the caption it was written: “No war or religion can be bigger than countless innocent lives.”

    These are babies..” begged Bipasha. “Irrespective of any religion have some mercy.”

    Sonam Kapoor sent her support to the Palestinians when she shared two pictures on her Instagram stories spreading awareness of the countless children who were butchered during the Israeli strikes. Sonam shared a post from a column written in The New York Times codenmning the one-sided coverage of major publications that ignored the trauma of Palestinian babies.

    READ MORE: Sonam Kapoor speaks out for Palestine, other prominent Bollywood celebrities silent

    Other Bollywood actors have remained majorly silent about the Gaza genocide. While a viral tweet from Shah Rukh Khan’s X (formerly Twitter) account from 2014 went viral where he condemned the murder of little children.

  • ‘End her career’: Gal Gadot roasted after rejecting calls for ceasefire

    ‘End her career’: Gal Gadot roasted after rejecting calls for ceasefire

    The call to ban actress Gal Gadot from working in Hollywood has reached unprecedented heights. Social media users are now vowing to boycott her upcoming film ‘Snow White’ where she plays the evil stepmother. Gal Gadot, an Israeli national, has previously worked in the IDF. She was also among the several Hollywood actors who wrote a controversial open letter denouncing the October 7 attack on Israel which did not condemn the growing death toll in Gaza from Israeli airstrikes.

    The Hollywood actress was recently part of a panel slamming the Palestinian protests, that have called for an end to the genocide in Gaza where now 8000 civilians are dead.

    “But I ask myself what has happened to humanity?” Gal could be heard saying. “Why do we need to convince people that it is not okay when others are asking for a ceasefire?”

    Twitter users were shocked at Gal’s insensitive comment and were all in favor of watching her Hollywood career end.

    Users are calling for a boycott of Snow White and for audiences to stop purchasing products made by Disney. Disney was previously embroiled in controversy after the organisation declared its support for Israel and donated $2 million dollars.

    “remember that gal gadot served in the idf (so she is a murderer) and was miss israel 2004 (is proud to represent murderers). disney money goes toward funding israel. to hell with every person involved in this production and every person who supports it. BOYCOTT,” one user wrote.

    The casting of Snow White was overshadowed with controversy after Peter Dinklage called out the production house in 2022 for choosing to adapt a film with offensive stereotypes towards people with dwarfism.

    “You’re progressive in one way but you’re still making that f*****g backward story of seven dwarves living in the cave. What the fuck are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox? I guess I’m not loud enough,” Peter said as quoted by The Guardian.

    Recently, a picture featuring Rachel as Snow White and seven dwarfs surrounding her was criticised by the internet. Users alleged that it looked like one actor, Martin Klebba, had played all the seven dwarfs in CGI versions.

  • Israeli actress slaps child during Palestine protest; internet finds her

    Israeli actress slaps child during Palestine protest; internet finds her

    Israeli-American actress Edian Atias was recorded on video on Sunday, assaulting a child for protesting for Palestine. In a viral video, the Zionist was seen giving threating the boy infront of his family and friends.

    The Zionist’s personal details were leaked online by the internet, who found out she is an actress in New York.

    A user leaked her Linkedin account details online as well

    The incident is among the recent rise of hate crimes committed against Palestinians and protestors currently advocating for an end to the genocide in Gaza. Six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume was stabbed 26 times by his neighbour who, in a fit of rage, accused the family of spreading terrorism in the country. Just one day ago, Pakistani-American doctor Dr Talat Jehan Khan was murdered by a man in Texas. The case is under investigation.

    Twitter users, including actress Nadia Jamil, expressed their outrage at assaulting a child.

  • Angelina Jolie donates for Gaza, calls for ceasefire

    Angelina Jolie donates for Gaza, calls for ceasefire

    Hollywood icon Angelina Jolie has joined growing calls demanding a ceasefire in Gaza as the death toll from Israeli bombing climbs past 8000, including 3000 children.

    The ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ actress wrote that the situation in Gaza is catastrophic: “nowhere to go, no access to food or water, no possibility of evacuation, and not even the basic human right to cross a border to seek refuge.”

    Angelina went on to reflect on her 20- years of experience working with refugees and stressed on how urgent it is to help those being displaced by violence.

    “Gaza has a population of over 2 million people (half of them are children), who have lived under a severe blockade for over two decades, on top of decades of displacement and statelessness. The few aid trucks that are entering are a fraction of what is needed (and was delivered daily before the present conflict), and the bombings are causing desperate new humanitarian needs daily.”

    The actress ended the note by revealing she had donated to Doctors Without Borders, and urged her followers to do the same.

  • More than 1000 Pakistani doctors volunteer to help in Gaza

    More than 1000 Pakistani doctors volunteer to help in Gaza

    Alkhidmat Health Foundation has announced that over 1000 doctors from Pakistan, including 400 females, have volunteered their services to provide treatment to the critically wounded and injured in Gaza. Currently, the death toll has hit 7000 dead civilians and right now there is fear of further genocide as Israel has cut off all communication services, leaving media organisations and human rights organisations completely in the dark. The few videos that have released so far show intense bombing and vicious attacks on refugee camps.

    Speaking to ‘The News’, the chairman of Al-Khidmat Health Foundation Dr Zahid Latif, said: “Since Saturday when we launched an online appeal for healthcare volunteers to serve in the Gaza strip, over 1,000 medical specialists including orthopedic, vascular and general surgeons, anesthetists, pediatric surgeons, emergency and critical care specialists and gynaecologists have registered with us to help their injured and sick brethren in Gaza.”

    Gaza is undergoing a healthcare crisis, tethering on the brink of collapse as they overpile with civilians and children wounded and critically injured from the ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Al-Shifa hospital currently holds 62,000 displaced Gazans, and more than 600 babies are in incubators out of which 120 are on critical life-or-death situations, according to Dr. Amr.

    Dr Zahid said among the 40 per cent health care specialists who have volunteered to go to Gaza, there were female specialists including genealogists, pediatricians, surgeons, including nurses who expressed their desire to go and help the wounded in Gaza.

    He further added the organisation has approached the World Health Organisation (WHO) office in Islamabad, as well as the office of Cairo, Egypt to let them know about how Pakistani health professionals are willing to provide services in Gaza, despite how difficult it is to enter the region at this moment.

    “We very well know that at the moment, it is almost impossible to go to Gaza due to ongoing war but we are under tremendous pressure from Pakistani healthcare fraternity to make arrangements for them to go to Gaza. At the moment, the WHO and our partner organisations have not given us any green signal to send the healthcare professionals to any neighbouring country of Israel for serving in Gaza,” Dr Latif said.

    Currently, Al-Khidmat organisation is sending medicines, medical supplies, hygiene facilities and safe delivery kits to aid hospitals in Gaza through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), while their Turkish-based partner is providing food and other facilities to the reigion.

    “There are around 50,000 pregnant ladies in Gaza, who need medical assistance for safe deliveries and at a time when most of the health facilities have been destroyed by the Israeli forces, safe deliveries can only be carried out at homes where they would need safe delivery kits and proper awareness,” Dr Latif said.

  • Actress Indy Moore arrested alongside several Jewish American activists protesting Gaza genocide

    Actress Indy Moore arrested alongside several Jewish American activists protesting Gaza genocide

    As Israel cut off all communication services in Gaza before initiating the heaviest bombing the region has ever seen, Palestinian activists and human rights organisations are outraged as they cannot keep in touch with media organisations or their loved ones who are under Israeli siege.

    Yesterday, a massive sit-in was announced by anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice For Peace to protest against the on-going genocide in Gaza. More than 200 Jewish American activists were arrested by the police. Among them was ‘Pose’ actress Indya Moore, who could be seen chanting “Not in our name” along with the rest of the protesters as she was arrested by the police.

    Indya was also among the several actors who signed a letter asking Joe Biden to end the genocide of Gaza and allow humanitarian aid to enter through. Other celebrities who had signed the letter included Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Oscar Isaac and Academy Award winner Joaquin Pheonix.