Angelina Jolie Calls for an Israel-Palestine Ceasefire
“Tomb Rider” star Angelina Jolie called for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip last Saturday.
Like millions around the world, the Academy Award winner shared that she is angry about the growing death tolls and the terrorist attacks in Israel. Similar to the sentiments of model Gigi Hadid, the 48-year-old Angelina shared a cry for help with her 14.6 million Instagram followers.
The Eternals star wrote, “I, too, am praying for the immediate, safe return of every hostage, and for the families who carry the unimaginable pain of a murder of a loved one. Above all, the children murdered, and the many children now orphaned.”
She continued to write, “What happened in Israel is an act of terror. But that cannot justify the innocent lives lost in bombing a civilian population in Gaza that has nowhere to go, no access to food or water, no possibility of evacuation, and not even the basic human right to cross a border or seek refuge. Because of my work with refugees for 20 years, my focus is on the people displaced by violence in any context.”
Angelina also pointed out that Gaza, with its population of 2 million people half of whom are children, has already lived under an extreme blockade for almost twenty years. In addition, they have had to live through displacement and statelessness.
She also drew attention to the dire realities that residents have had to endure. Very few aid trucks have been able to approach the area, limiting access to assistance and supplies. With the recent and non-stop bombings, their daily humanitarian needs have desperately increased.
Concluding her lengthy post, she wrote, “Humanity demands an immediate ceasefire. Palestinian and Israeli lives – and the lives of all people globally – matter equally. Anything that can prevent civilian casualties and save lives must be done. Like many others, I have donated to medical relief efforts. I have chosen to support the work of Doctors Without Borders and have been following their reporting.”
According to news sites, Angelina first became interested in humanitarian matters when she filmed “Tomb Raider” in 2000. Filming took place in Cambodia where she witnessed the effects of the war. After she returned to the United States, she reached out to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to learn about areas that needed assistance. The actress then began visiting refugee camps around the globe. In 2001, she went on an 18-day mission to Tanzania and Sierra Leone.
Angelina has worked with the UNHCR for over two decades and has served as a goodwill ambassador from 2001 to 2012. Between 2012 and 2022, she was a Special Envoy for the agency.
Based on the organization’s website, Angelina has carried out more than 60 field missions and has witnessed the resilience and suffering of displaced people. She has always been one of the loudest advocates when it comes to calling for urgent help and finding solutions to make sure that the rights and safety of all refugees are upheld.
