Bella Hadid is speaking out for the first time about the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel.
The model, who is part Palestinian, started her post Thursday by asking fans to forgive her “silence” for the past couple weeks.
“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 wrote. “I have much to say, but for today, I will keep it short.”
Since the war began, Hadid says she has been sent “hundreds of death threats daily” and her family has felt “in danger” — but she refuses to be “silenced any longer.”
“My heart is bleeding with pain from the trauma I am seeing unfold, as well as the generational trauma of my Palestinian blood,” she continued, “Seeing the aftermath from 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, friends that will never again walk this earth.”
Yet she also “mourns for the Israeli families that have been dealing of the pain and aftermath” since Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7.
“Regardless of the history of the land, I condemn the terrorist attacks on any civilians, anywhere,” she wrote. “Harming women and children and inflicting terror does not and should not do any good for the Free Palestine movement.”
However, she then went on to explain some of her Palestinian heritage and why she has advocated for the “Free Palestine” movement for so many years.
“Its important to understand the hardship of what it is to be Palestinian, in a world that sees us as nothing more than terrorists resisting peace,” she continued. “It is harmful, it is shameful and it is categorically untrue.”
Hadid’s father, Mohamed Hadid, was born in Nazareth in 1948 — the same year that 750,000 Palestinians were displaced from their homes — and his family was forced to become refugees, Hadid shared.
“My family witnessed 75 years of violence against Palestinian people – most notably, brutal settler invasions which led to the destruction of entire communities, murder in cold blood and the forcible removal of families from their homes,” she continued. “The practice of settlements on Palestinian land still continues to this day.”
Yet Hadid sees a future where all people can “stand together in defending humanity and compassion” against “corrupt” governments — no matter their side.
“We are one, and God has created us all equal. All bloodshed, tears, and bodies should be mourned in the same respect.”
She then called for people to help the current “humanitarian crisis in Gaza” for people who lack access to clean water, power to run hospitals and medics to tend to the wounded.
“Wars have laws — and they must be upheld, no matter what.”
In her final remarks, she urged her followers to “keep pressure on our leaders” to “ensure that innocent Palestinian civilians are not the forgotten casualties of war.”
“I stand with humanity, knowing that peace and safety belong to us.”
