Bella Hadid Breaks Her Silence About ‘Horrific’ Conflict Between Israel, Hamas and Palestine

Bella Hadid is speaking out for the first time since the conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out in early October.

In a new post, the model — who is Palestinian herself — weighed in on the militant group Hamas' attack on Israel and the state's subsequent ongoing bombings launched in retaliation. In a statement shared to her Instagram Thursday, Hadid spoke about feeling threatened while mourning the loss of victims in the conflict.

"Forgive me for my silence. I have yet to find the ideal words for this deeply intricate and horrific past two weeks, weeks that have turned the world's attention back towards a situation that has been taking innocent lives and affecting families for decades," she began her statement. "I have much to say, but for today, I will keep it short."

Hadid said that she has received death threats "daily" and felt that her family was in danger.

"I've been sent hundreds of death threats daily, my phone number has been leaked, and my family has felt to be in danger," she wrote. "But I cannot be silenced any longer. Fear is not an option. The people and children of Palestine, especially in Gaza, cannot afford our silence. We are not brave - they are."

"My heart is bleeding with pain from the trauma I am seeing unfold, as well as the generational trauma of my Palestinian blood," the model continued. "Seeing the aftermath from the airstrikes in Gaza, I mourn with all the mothers who have lost children and the children who cry alone, all the lost fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, friends that will never again walk this earth."

Hadid also mourned for the Israeli families that lost loved ones in the Hamas attacks, and condemned any attacks on civilians.

"I mourn for the Israeli families that have been dealing with the pain and aftermath of Oct. 7," she wrote. "Regardless of the history of the land, I condemn the terrorist attacks on any civilians, anywhere. Harming women and children and inflicting terror does not and should not do any good for the Free Palestine movement. I believe deep in my heart that no child, no people anywhere, should be taken away from their family, either temporarily or indefinitely. That goes for Israeli and Palestinian people alike."

The model further explained how it feels to be Palestinian in the current social climate.

"It's important to understand the hardship of what it is to be Palestinian, in a world that sees us as nothing more than terrorists resisting peace," she shared. "It is harmful, it is shameful, and it's categorically untrue."

"We must all stand together in defending humanity and compassion - and demanding that our leaders do the same. All religions are peace - it is governments that are corrupt, and intertwining the two makes for the greatest sin of all," Hadid wrote. "We are one, and God has created all equal. All bloodshed, tears and bodies should be mourned with the same respect. There is an urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza that must be attended to. Families need access to water and food. Hospitals need fuel to power generators, tend to the wounded and keep people alive."

"Wars have laws - and they must be upheld, no matter what. We need to keep pressure on our leaders, wherever we are, not to forget the urgent needs of the people of Gaza, and to ensure that innocent Palestinian civilians are not the forgotten casualties of this war," she finished. "I stand with humanity, knowing that peace and safety belong to us all."

Hadid's comment come several weeks after Hamas' initial attack left hundreds dead and Israel's response contributing to the ongoing toll. Authorities now estimate the death toll to be over 1,400 Israelis and around 7,000 Palestinians.

Hadid is Palestinian; her father is the Palestinian real-estate developer Mohamed Hadid. Mohamed is also father to Hadid's sister Gigi and brother Anwar Hadid, both of whom have spoken out at length about the conflict.

After sharing pro-Palestinian posts to her Instagram accounts, the state of Israel's social media pages attacked Gigi, labeling her antisemitic.

"Have you been sleeping the past week?" the state media account wrote in an Instagram Story post, tagging the model. "Or are you just fine turning a blind eye to Jewish babies being butchered in their homes? Your silence has been very clear about where you stand. We see you."

The post from Gigi that the government was apparently critcizing read: "The most recent post on her Instagram Story read, "There is nothing Jewish about the Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians. Condemning the Israeli government is not antisemitic and supporting Palestinians is not supporting Hamas."