Dwayne Johnson, Justin Bieber react to escalating Israel-Hamas conflict: ‘Heartbroken, angry and sickened’
Many celebrities are weighing in as the conflict between Israel and Hamas enters its fifth day, leaving hundreds of Palestinians and Israelis dead.
Actor Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, is one of the latest to share his thoughts about the conflict on Instagram. On Wednesday, he posted a long note, wherein he ‘condemned and denounced terrorism’. Singer Justin Bieber also shared in a note that he was ‘not interested in choosing sides’ and was ‘hurting for both his Israeli and Palestinian friends’.
Dwayne Johnson says terrorism is never justified
Comments were turned off on Dwayne’s post slamming ‘brutal murders and kidnapping of Jewish people’. In it, he wrote,“I’m heartbroken, angry, and sickened by the brutal murders and kidnapping of Jewish people through the horrific acts of the Hamas terrorist group.”
Dwayne Johnson says he prays for ‘all innocent lives’
The actor further said that even though he did not fully understand the ‘complex conflict in the Middle East’, he was praying for ‘compassion and resolve’.
He wrote, “The growing loss of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives is heart wrenching as this war escalates to immense proportions. I don’t pretend to know everything about the complex conflict in the Middle East. It commands deep understanding, context, and nuance – what I do know is hateful acts of terrorism like these are never justified. I condemn and denounce terrorism, and in this devastating moment, my heart goes out to all the innocent victims and families grieving for their lost loved ones. I pray for compassion and resolve. I pray for all innocent lives.”
Justin Bieber also reacted to the conflict
The Canadian singer on Wednesday took to Instagram Stories to talk about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. He wrote, “Truly hurting for both my Israeli and Palestinian friends. I’m pretty sure we all instinctively know evil when we see it. To villainise all Palestinians or all Israeli people to me seems wrong. I’m not interested in choosing sides, but I am interested in standing with the families, who have been brutally taken from us.”
About the Israel-Hamas conflict
Israel vowed to escalate its response to an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas with a ground offensive, while US President Joe Biden pledged support for Israel and issued a warning to anyone, who might seek to take advantage of the situation.
On Saturday, Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip rampaged through parts of southern Israel, in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel’s history. Israel’s military said the death toll in the country had reached 1,200 and more than 2,700 people had been wounded. Gaza’s health ministry said at least 900 people have been killed and 4,600 wounded in the crowded coastal enclave amid Israel’s counter-attack.