Gaza: Virginie Efira, Alex Lutz, Fianso… cultural figures demand a “truce”

Actors Virginie Efira, Lina Khoudri, Maiwenn, Alex Lutz and Nobel Prize winner in literature J.M.G. Le Clezio: Dozens of cultural figures advocate for a “permanent and immediate ceasefire” in Gaza in an open letter on Thursday to the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron.

“We, representatives of all nationalities and all religions, united in condemnation of this disaster, (…) ask you to do everything possible to stop this massacre,” they write. Other signatories include actor Tahar Rahim, actress Sarah Giraudeau, singer Izia Higelin and rapper Sofiane Tsermani (Fianso).

“There is still time to save the living and beating hearts of Gaza, and with them the humanity of us all,” they add in a letter published on the website Culturepouruncessezlefeu.org and picked up by Télérama magazine. “This letter calls you to fulfill your duty. We will rise, we will demonstrate, we will write, we will challenge, we will gather until there are signs of a new day. »

Against “Islamophobia and anti-Semitism”

The signatories say they are “horrified by the deaths of more than 19,000 Palestinians, including more than 7,000 children, and by the Israeli government’s unacceptable apartheid policies in Palestine” as well as “the deaths of more than 1,200 Israelis.” October 7th (in Hamas attack) and the taking of hostages, in connection with which we call for their immediate return.”

“We demand equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians (…) We unanimously condemn hatred wherever it occurs and whoever it affects. We unequivocally reject Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, which feed the same divide,” they continue.

In October, many figures, including Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and Juliette Binoche, signed a petition for the release of hostages taken in Israel by Hamas that weekend. As of Thursday, it had been signed by more than 108,000 people.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Israel, in retaliation for the unprecedented Oct. 7 attack by the Islamist movement on its territory that killed some 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on on Israeli losses. According to Israel, about 250 people were also taken hostage, of whom 129 are still detained in the Gaza Strip.