Yahoo Lifestyle Gigi Hadid And Bella Hadid Donated A Large Sum Of Money To Support Relief Efforts For Palestinian Children And Families
Supermodel sisters Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid have teamed up to support the relief efforts for Palestinian families.
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Their father, Mohamed Hadid, was born in Nazareth during the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 and fled to Syria and immigrated to the United States as a teenager.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Gigi and her little sister are collectively donating $1 million "earmarked for equal distribution among four organizations with a focus on children and families: HEAL Palestine, Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF), World Central Kitchen (WCK), and United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA)."
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The organizations are designed to support humanitarian aid, including psychological services, assistance for displaced families, and food and medical programs for Palestinians affected by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, for nearly eight months, Israeli bombardments and ground offensives have killed more than 36,000 Palestinians (although this number does not distinguish whether civilians or not). Israel launched this retaliation after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in which some 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel — and about 250 were abducted.
The Hadid sisters' donation comes only days after Bella's public fashion statement during her trip to the Cannes Film Festival, where she wore a keffiyeh dress.
In a May 29 Instagram post, Bella shared, "Palestine on my mind, in my blood and on my heart. Always… While I still have to go to work, even through this horror, to wear our culture makes me a proud Palestinian & I want the world to continue to see Palestine wherever we go."
"I want to highlight designers that have highlighted the Palestinian cause through the years. This is a Kiffiyeh dress made by #michaelandhushi @hushi5 in 2001. A beautiful way to represent the history, labor of love, resilience and, most importantly, the art of historic Palestinian embroidery," she continued.
"If you don't know what's happening right now in Gaza, watch my stories (and find other accounts leading to Palestinians on the ground) and please educate yourself on the on going occupation and genocide that is happening RIGHT NOW in Gaza. Do not be desensitized to the horror that is being endured by the Palestinian people. (Go to my highlights of 2024🇵🇸.)"
The 27-year-old fashion model went on to describe the significance of the "Palestinian Kiffiyeh." The patterns on the scarf symbolize "olive leaves" and "strength, resilience, and perseverance."
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The fishnet-like pattern, which covers most of the scarf, represents "the relationship between the Palestinian fisherman and the sea" and symbolizes "abundance and grace." Bella noted that people living in the West Bank have "no access to the sea, due to restricted movement."
Finally, Bella wrote that sea waves featured on the keffiyeh resemble the "strength and resilience" of Palestinians, which "persevered after 73 years under military occupation and oppression."
Gigi has also shared her beliefs on social including her lengthy Oct. 10 Instagram post posted only days after the initial Oct. 7 Hamas attack. "My thoughts are with all those affected by this unjustifiable tragedy, and every day that innocent lives are taken by this conflict —too many of which are children."
Gigi continued, "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."
