Dua Lipa Gaza Comments Spark Debate

Dua Lipa is facing a wave of criticism on social media after expressing compassion for both Israelis and Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Tensions heightened in the region after Hamas on October 7 led a surprise attack on Israel, which it said was retribution for worsening conditions for Palestinians under Israeli occupation. More than 200 people were taken hostage in the attack.

Israel subsequently declared war on Hamas and launched hundreds of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, followed by a ground invasion. At least 1,200 people were killed in Israel, the Associated Press has reported, and more than 24,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to health authorities in Gaza, the AP says.

The discourse around the conflict has proved to be contentious over the past few months, with people divided in their support of either side. There have also been calls for a ceasefire in what is the latest outbreak of hostility between Israel and Palestinians.

Back in 2021, tensions soared in the region over a delayed Israeli court ruling on whether authorities could evict several Palestinians from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, outside the Old City, to make room for Jewish settlers.

Lipa, who was dating Gigi and Bella Hadid's younger brother Anwar Hadid at the time, showed her support by sharing the #SaveSheikhJarrah hashtag to her Instagram stories, along with artwork from designer duo Mothanna Hussein and Hadi Alaeddin.

Responding to the public stance taken by Lipa and the Hadid sisters, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, head of the nonprofit World Values Network, called the stars "mega-influencers" who have "accused Israel of ethnic cleansing" and "vilified the Jewish State" in a full-page ad taken out in The New York Times.

Hitting back, Lipa wrote in an X post to "reject the false and appalling allegations."

"I take this stance because I believe that everyone—Jews, Muslims and Christians—have the right to live in peace as equal citizens of a state they choose," she added. "I stand in solidarity with all oppressed people and reject all forms of racism."

Counting herself among the celebrities and public figures who have signed a petition calling for a ceasefire in the current Israel-Hamas war, British-born Lipa told Rolling Stone she felt compassion for the lives lost on both sides.

"My feelings on displaced people [are] very real and raw, and it is a difficult subject to speak about because it's so divisive," she said in an interview published on Tuesday. "But there is a world where you can feel for all lives that are being lost. And I have to say this: I don't condone what Hamas is doing, regardless of what [that advertisement in] The New York Times said [in 2021]. Every life is precious."

Underscoring the importance of people educating themselves on the crisis as misinformation runs rampant, she went on: "I feel so bad for every Israeli life lost and what happened on October 7.

"At the moment, what we have to look at is how many lives have been lost in Gaza, and the innocent civilians, and the lives that are just being lost. There are just not enough world leaders that are taking a stand and speaking up about the humanitarian crisis that's happening, the humanitarian ceasefire that has to happen."

This part of Lipa's interview was shared the X, formerly Twitter, account of Pop Crave, where it has been viewed more than 8 million times and was met with a mixed reaction.

"Condemning Hamas at this point is incredibly cowardly this statement is so lukewarm," wrote one detractor. "I don't know why she thought she was doing something."

"Half a** blah blah blah," another quipped. "The only reason Hamas exists and does what it does is [because] they are treated like slaves by Israel. Israel has been killing them since before the nation state existed. The only thing that needs to be said about FREE PALESTINE is to FREE Palestine."

"It's still crazy that every call for a ceasefire has to start with condemning Hamas as if a single pro-Palestinian soul has ever not condemned them," another weighed in.

"Girl bye. We've move past these both side a** statements," said another X user.

Newsweek has contacted a representative of Lipa via email for comment.

Amid the backlash, a number of other X users spoke out in defense of Lipa's stance.

"Dua Lipa's take on the situation is compassionate and considers all sides affected by the conflict," stated one supporter. "Her focus on the preciousness of life emphasizes the need for a peaceful resolution in the region."

"True, every life is precious," said one X user, while another insisted that Lipa is "always on the right side of history."

"Wow, Dua Lipa is better on this then most people on Twitter," read another post.

Lipa's support for Palestinians led to the recent release of a hip-hop track calling for her murder. The track is called "Charbu Darbu," which the Times of Israel said is derived from Syrian Arabic and means "swords and strikes." The publication reported that in Hebrew slang, it refers to "raining hell" on an opponent. The track is by duo Ness Ve Stilla, whose members are Nesia Levy and Dor Soroker.

In the concluding moments of the track, a list of "enemies" the pair wish to "X out" is shared, including the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Celebrities are also named on that list, including Lipa, Bella Hadid and former adult film star Mia Khalifa. "Every c***'s last day will come/ Bella Hadid, Dupa Lipa, Mia Khalifa," they rap.

In her interview with Rolling Stone, Lipa discussed how she felt compelled to speak out in support of Palestinians in the past, having been born in the U.K. to Kosovo Albanian parents who had fled their native region back in the 1990s.

"My existence is kind of political, the fact that I lived in London because my parents left from the war," she told the publication. "I feel for people who have to leave their home. From my experience of being in Kosovo and understanding what war does, no one really wants to leave their home. They do it for protection, to save their family, to look after the people around them, that kind of thing, for a better life. So I feel close to it."

Lipa conceded that celebrities commenting on the conflict will likely do little to affect the outcome, though she felt there was an importance in showing solidarity.

"It's probably easier to be apolitical," she said. "I think there's no kind of deep discussion about war and oppression. It just is something that we've seen happen time and time again. I feel like just being a musician and posting about something doesn't make enough of a difference, but hopefully, just showing solidarity, which is sometimes all you feel like you can do, is important."