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Dua Lipa, Joaquin Phoenix, Jon Stewart and More Call on Biden for Gaza Ceasefire: 'One Child Being Killed Every 15 Minutes'

Letter from Dua Lipa, Joaquin Phoenix, Jon Stewart and More Call on Biden for Gaza Ceasefire: 'One Child Being Killed Every 15 Minutes'
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October 24, 2023

Dua Lipa, Kristen Stewart, Joaquin Phoenix, Jon Stewart, and Channing Tatum join a host of other celebrities in a letter to President Biden, urgently calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel, where the conflict has escalated to the point of one child being killed every 15 minutes.

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ddressed to President Biden, a letter signed by an array of artists and public figures including Dua Lipa, Kristen Stewart, and Joaquin Phoenix, among others, serves as a pressing call for immediate intervention in the Israel-Gaza conflict. The letter cuts through diplomatic niceties, laying out the grim statistics: more than 5,000 lives lost in just over a week, and a child killed in Gaza every 15 minutes.

The signatories, who also include Jon Stewart and Channing Tatum, appeal to Biden not merely as the U.S. President but as a moral actor on the global stage. They urge for an immediate ceasefire and for humanitarian aid to reach the beleaguered residents of Gaza, half of whom are children. The letter aligns itself with calls from organizations like UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders, emphasizing that the United States has a vital diplomatic role to play in ending the suffering.

The text also highlights the dire conditions in Gaza, where residents are running out of essential supplies like food, water, and electricity. It cites UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, who states that the humanitarian situation has reached "lethal lows."

The letter closes on a note of collective responsibility, warning that history is watching our actions—or lack thereof. It's a sobering reminder that the world's eyes are on the U.S., waiting to see if it will rise to the occasion.

"Dear President Biden,

We come together as artists and advocates, but most importantly as human beings witnessing the devastating loss of lives and unfolding horrors in Israel and Palestine.

We ask that, as President of the United States, you call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the last week and a half – a number any person of conscience knows is catastrophic. We believe all life is sacred, no matter faith or ethnicity and we condemn the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians.

We urge your administration, and all world leaders, to honor all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay – an end to the bombing of Gaza, and the safe release of hostages. Half of Gaza’s two million residents are children, and more than two thirds are refugees and their descendants being forced to flee their homes. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them.

We believe that the United States can play a vital diplomatic role in ending the suffering and we are adding our voices to those from the US Congress, UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, The International Committee of The Red Cross, and so many others. Saving lives is a moral imperative. To echo UNICEF, “Compassion — and international law — must prevail.”

As of this writing more than 6,000 bombs have been dropped on Gaza in the last 12 days - resulting in one child being killed every 15 minutes.

"Children and families in Gaza have practically run out of food, water, electricity, medicine and safe access to hospitals, following days of air strikes and cuts to all supply routes. Gaza’s sole power plant ran out of fuel Wednesday afternoon, shutting down electricity, water and wastewater treatment. Most residents can no longer get drinking water from service providers or household water through pipelines.... The humanitarian situation has reached lethal lows, and yet all reports point to further attacks. Compassion — and international law — must prevail.” – UNICEF spokesperson James Elder

Beyond our pain and mourning for all of the people there and their loved ones around the world we are motivated by an unbending will to stand for our common humanity. We stand for freedom, justice, dignity and peace for all people – and a deep desire to stop more bloodshed.

We refuse to tell future generations the story of our silence, that we stood by and did nothing. As Emergency Relief Chief Martin Griffiths told UN News, “History is watching.”

Adam McKay
Alfonso Cuarón
Alia Shawkat
Alyssa Milano
Amanda Gorman
Amanda Seales
Amber Tamblyn
America Ferrera
Andrew Garfield
Ani DiFranco
Aminé
Anoushka Shankar
Aria Mia Loberti
ASAP Nast
Ayo Edebiri
Bassam Tariq
Bassem Youssef
Belly
Bonnie Wright
Boots Riley
Caroline Polachek
Cate Blanchett
Channing Tatum
Charm La’Donna
Cherien Dabis
Darius Marder
David Cross
David Oyelowo
Deb Never
Dev Hynes
Diplo
Dominic Cooper
Dominique Fishback
Dominique Thorne
Dua Lipa
El-P
Elvira Lind
Elyanna
Farah Bsaiso
Fatima Farheen Mirza
Florence Pugh
Hasan Minhaj
Hend Sabry
Ilana Glazer
Indya Moore
James Schamus
Jeremy Strong
Jessica Chastain
Jessie Buckley
Jessie Williams
Joaquin Phoenix
John Cusack
Jon Stewart
Kathryn Grody
Kaytranada
Kehlani
Killer Mike
Kristen Stewart
Lauren Jauregui
Lena Waithe
Macklemore
Mandy Patinkin
Mahershala Ali
Margaret Cho
Mark Ruffalo
May Calamawy
Megan Boone
Michael Malarkey
Michael Moore
Michael Shannon
Michael Stipe
Michelle Wolf
Miguel
Mo Amer
Mousa Kraish
Natalia Cordova
Natalie Merchant
Oscar Isaac
Phoebe Tonkin
Quinta Brunson
Rachel McAdams
Rachel Sennott
Ramy Youssef
Raveena Aurora
Riz Ahmed
Rooney Mara
Rosario Dawson
Rowan Blanchard
Ryan Coogler
Sandra Oh
Sebastian Silva
Shailene Woodley
Shaka King
SimiHaze
Simon Helberg
Stephanie Suganami
Susan Sarandon
Taylour Paige
Tommy Genesis
Tony Kushner
V (formerly Eve Ensler)
Vic Mensa
Victoria Monét
Wallace Shawn
Wanda Sykes
Yara Shahidi
Zoe Lister Jones

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