Gigi Hadid, the internationally renowned model with a deeply personal connection to the Palestinian struggle, has been a prominent advocate for Palestinian rights. Her father’s Palestinian heritage and his experiences fleeing conflict have profoundly influenced her activism.

On Instagram, Gigi Hadid expressed her deep empathy for the Palestinian plight, stating, “I have deep empathy and heartbreak for the Palestinian struggle and life under occupation, it’s a responsibility I hold daily. I also feel a responsibility to my Jewish friends to make it clear, as I have before: While I have hopes and dreams for Palestinians, none of them include the harm of a Jewish person. The terrorizing of innocent people is not in alignment with and does not do any good for the ‘Free Palestine’ movement… There are a lot of complex, personal, and valid feelings, but every human deserves basic rights, treatment, and security; no matter their nationality, religion, ethnicity, or where they were born.”

She also addressed misconceptions by sharing a graphic that 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.” This statement led to backlash from the State of Israel’s official Instagram page, resulting in Gigi and her family receiving numerous threats.

Hadid’s activism highlights her commitment to advocating for human rights while navigating the complexities of her personal and public roles.