Palestinian-American model Gigi Hadid has come under intense scrutiny for her controversial remarks regarding the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The 28-year-old fashion icon, known for her candidness on political issues, faced a wave of criticism over a contentious Instagram post that she later removed.
In the post, Hadid accused Israel of longstanding violence against Palestinians, including allegations of killing, torture, rape, abduction, and humiliation, which she claimed predated a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7 that resulted in around 1,200 fatalities.
Hadid’s post singled out Israel as the sole nation globally that detains children as prisoners of war. She highlighted the case of Ahmed Almanasra, a Palestinian youth apprehended at 13 by Israeli authorities after he and his sibling attacked a security guard and another young boy. ABC News reported that Almanasra was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison, a term that was subsequently reduced to 9.5 years.
The supermodel’s assertions extended to accusing Israeli forces of isolating Almanasra despite his critical health condition and detaining numerous Palestinian minors under harsh conditions in Israeli prisons.
Additionally, Hadid shared a video alleging that Israeli officials had been involved in the unauthorised harvesting of organs from deceased Palestinians, a claim that further fueled the backlash against her.
Social media users expressed their indignation, with some calling for IMG, her modeling agency, to sever ties with her. In a previous instance, as reported by the New York Post, Hadid shared a graphic stating that criticising the Israeli government’s actions towards Palestinians does not equate to antisemitism, nor does supporting Palestinian rights imply endorsement of Hamas.
The State of Israel responded to Hadid’s statements, countering her narrative by condemning the actions of Hamas and defending Israelis’ right to protect themselves against what they described as “barbaric terrorists.” The exchange highlights the heated and polarised nature of discourse surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Hadid’s comments adding to the ongoing debate
Source: India Today
