Entertainment industry A-listers sign a letter to Biden urging a cease-fire in Gaza

07:47+08:00, PM. Oct. 21, 2023 By Chloe Veltman

America Ferrera poses for photographers upon arrival at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards on Tuesday in London. The actress is one among dozens of famous entertainers to have signed a letter to President Biden calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP hide caption

toggle caption Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP

Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP

Dozens of entertainment industry A-listers have urging President Biden to push for an immediate de-escalation and cease-fire as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues into its third week.

Created by a group of Hollywood insiders calling itself Artists4Ceasefire, the letter's signatories so far include such celebrities as Cate Blanchett, America Ferrera, Bassem Youssef, Jon Stewart, Dua Lipa, Hasan Minhaj, Oscar Isaac and Michael Stipe.

"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," the letter states. It goes on to note: "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."

a few days ago, the and actor called for the conflict to end, and for women and children to "live in peace."

"All of our sisters are not safe," Ferrera said. "Like all of you, my heart is broken and heavy with the weight of what our sisters around the world endure every day. And as we sit here tonight celebrating, our sisters and their families in Gaza and Israel are living through horror. The brutality of terror and war is unfolding before our eyes. Entire families have been and continue to be erased."

The Artists4Ceasefire letter isn't the only such act of celebrity political advocacy to have emerged over the past couple of weeks.

Hundreds of celebrities, such as actors Gal Gadot, Michael Douglas and Jerry Seinfeld, signed an published on Oct. 12. That effort, organized by the Creative Community for Peace, which describes itself as "a non-profit entertainment industry organization," states its mission is "to promote the arts as a bridge to peace, to educate about rising antisemitism within the entertainment industry, and to galvanize support against the cultural boycott of Israel."

and has supported Israel's retaliation for the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas. The White House has not specifically called for a cease-fire but has called for minimizing civilian casualties. Also, on Oct. 18, Biden the United States is providing $100 million in humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank.

This is not the first time celebrities have voiced their opinions about the worsening state of Israeli-Palestinian relations.

For instance, comments on her Instagram account following an escalation in violence in the region in May 2021. "This is a vicious cycle that has been going on for far too long," Gadot wrote. "Israel deserves to live as a free and safe nation. Our neighbors deserve the same." Meanwhile, at that time, Susan Sarandon expressed her support for Palestinians. In one on Twitter post, the actor and activist describing Israel's actions as "settler colonialism, military occupation, land theft and ethnic cleansing."

The public has been divided about whether entertainers should air their political views. A from the survey company Morning Consult showed that 28% of adults want celebrities to speak up on political issues, while 29% said celebrities should stay out of politics.

The Israel-Gaza war, which began on Oct. 7 with a devastating attack by Hamas on Israel, has led to the deaths of more than 1,400 Israelis and more than 4,000 Palestinians to date.

Here is the Artists4Ceasefire letter and current list of signatories in full: