Riz Ahmed Calls For An End To The “Indiscriminate Bombing Of Gaza’s Civilians” & “Forced Displacement”: “These Are Morally Indefensible War Crimes”
16.10.2023 - 13:43
/ deadline.com
Oscar-winner Riz Ahmed has posted a plea on his social platforms for people to “urgently speak up to try to avert the loss of innocent life” amid the ongoing crisis in Gaza and Israel.
Rogue One and Nightcrawler star Ahmed calls the actions of Hamas and the subsequent loss of life in Gaza “horrific and wrong”, before calling for an end to the “indiscriminate bombing of Gaza’s civilians and vital infrastructure, the denial of food, water and electricity, [and] the forced displacement of people from their homes”.
“These are morally indefensible war crimes,” the actor claims.
Hamas’ terror attack last weekend left 1300 Israelis dead and close to 200 kidnapped. In response, Israel launched a bombing campaign against Hamas in Gaza, which has left more than 2,670 Palestinians dead and 9,600 wounded, according to the The Gaza Health Ministry.
Israel has ordered the evacuation of more than one million Palestinians from northern Gaza as it prepares a potential ground offensive, drawing criticism from international organizations due to the unfolding humanitarian crisis.
New York-based Human Rights Watch has cited both Hamas and the Israeli government as culpable of potential war crimes. “Deliberate killing of civilians, hostage-taking, and collective punishment are heinous crimes that have no justification,” said Omar Shakir, the group’s Israel and Palestine director. Israel has said that it is acting within the confines of international law.
Read an except from Riz Ahmed’s statement below:
“We are told there are two sides to what is happening in Israel and Palestine. But in my heart, I know there is only one — the side of our humanity. What happened in Israel last week was horrific and wrong. The pain and fear so many are