Gaza: mobilisation of the cultural sphere

Between resignations, marches and declarations, the news of the last few days;

Iconic Tunisian actress Hend Sabry has resigned from her position as goodwill ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme. The cause was the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. She tried to mobilise the UN programme so that famine would not become a weapon of war, but she and her colleagues were not heard.

"I was sure that the World Food Programme - which won the Nobel Peace Prize just three years ago and was actively involved in UN Resolution 2417 condemning the use of famine as a method of war - would use its voice as forcefully as it has in emergencies and multiple humanitarian crises" - artist's Instagram.

Egyptian actor Amir El-Masry used his voice at the Bafta Scotland Awards to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Huda Kattan, the founder of Huda Beauty, announced that she was supporting the humanitarian effort in Gaza by contributing $1 million.

In England, musician and Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters shared a video on social networks calling for an immediate halt to hostilities, while British singer Yusuf Islam addressed the "Great Palestine Meeting", a pro-Palestinian gathering in Istanbul on 28 October, also calling for a ceasefire.

A letter from Artists for Palestine UK, signed by over 2,000 artists, including leading novelists, singers, playwrights and film-makers, as well as famous actors and actresses such as Tilda Swinton, Charles Dance, Steve Coogan, Miriam Margolyes, and Peter Mullan, was published.

Irish actor Liam Cunningham and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian people on social media. "The world must speak out and demand an immediate ceasefire, as well as justice and freedom for the Palestinians and all civilians affected", said Thunberg on X.

On the sports front, football players including Galatasaray's Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech, his Bayern Munich compatriot Noussair Mazraoui, former Real Madrid star and 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, Arsenal's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny and Real Betis' French player Nabil Fekir also took to social networks to express their support for the Palestinians.

In Hollywood, more than 250 celebrities, including Artists4Ceasefire members Ben Affleck, Gigi Hadid, Jessica Chastain and Drake, signed a letter to President Biden calling for a ceasefire in the face of Israel's intensive bombardment of Gaza. The letter underlines the group's unity as artists and advocates affected by the loss of life in Israel and Palestine.

Zendaya, the American actress and singer, also showed her solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza on her official Instagram account.

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, who works with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, strongly criticised Israel for its military actions in Gaza.

Renowned photographer Nan Goldin took the radical step of cancelling a project with the New York Times, accusing the paper of adopting a pro-Israeli stance in its coverage of events in Gaza.

Actresses Susan Sarandon and Melissa Barrera have been "sanctioned" following their comments in defence of Palestine. The former was fired by her agent following her statements at a demonstration in New York. The second was fired from the next instalment of the 'Scream' saga after a series of messages posted on Instagram.