Swifties are calling on Taylor Swift to speak out on Gaza
Fans of global superstar Taylor Swift are calling on the singer to break her silence on the ongoing war in Gaza.
The hashtag #SwiftiesForPalestine was trending on the social platform X this week on thousands of posts following the Israeli strike on the southern Gaza City of Rafah that killed dozens of Palestinians and wounded at least 200 others.
Posts included fans holding Palestinian flags or “Speak Now” signs at Swift’s “The Eras Tour,” in reference to one of the singer’s hit albums. Other “Swifties,” as her fans are commonly known, urged their fellow fans to make bracelets for the tour that read “Free Palestine” with the colors of the flag.
“I’ve never heard silence quite this loud…@taylorswift13 where is this woman who fought so hard to express her beliefs even if it received backlash? or do you only speak up when it benefits you?” one user wrote Wednesday on X.
Some fans reposted an apparent letter asking the singer to use her global platform to speak on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed since early October.
“As an internationally renowned and significant artist, your voice has the ability to impact and draw attention to crucial problems affecting millions of people worldwide,” the letter wrote. “Today, I am writing to urge you to speak out against the current humanitarian crisis and decades-long genocide in Palestine.”
“The international community, including many influential voices, has called for justice and peace, yet the agony still continues,” the letter added. “Your influence transcends borders, and your words have the power to reach and activate an extensive audience, including people who are unaware of the severity of genocide.”
One post with the letter has amassed 2.5 million views and 16,000 reposts as of Thursday.
The Hill reached out to Swift’s team for comment.
The push comes as millions of social media users, including some celebrities, have taken to Instagram to share an image with the slogan “All eyes on Rafah” to raise awareness about the situation in Gaza.
Several celebrities reposted the photo, including models Gigi and Bella Hadid and actors Aaron Paul, Mark Ruffalo, Jenna Ortega, Nicola Coughlan, Susan Sarandon and Priyanka Chopra.
The phrase stemmed from a statement made in February by Richard “Rik” Peeperkorn, director of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Office of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, according to Health Policy Watch.
“All eyes are on Rafah,” Peeperkorn said during a WHO press briefing from Rafah after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered its more than 1 million residents to evacuate the city.
Israel’s war with Hamas has raged on for almost eight months, since the militant group launched a surprise assault against Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking another 250 hostage.
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