Renée Rapp used her time on stage at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards on Thursday night (March 14) to give her take on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Accepting the Outstanding Music Artist award at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California in front of a star-studded crowd, Rapp urged an end to the hostilities that began after members of the militant group Hamas invaded Israel in October. 7, murdering, raping and assaulting more than 1,200 Israelis while taking more than 250 hostages.
“We're in a room of very influential people, very privileged people, which is exciting and also a huge privilege to be a part of,” Rapp said as she read a statement from her phone and was applauded by some in the room at the event with hosted by Wayne Brady who also honored Niecy Nash-Betts and Oprah Winfrey. “Having said that, I would like to take this opportunity to show support and call for an immediate ceasefire and a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.”
The “Not My Fault” singer and Bad Girls The star ended by urging the audience to “keep standing up for yourself, keep standing up for your friends, your queer friends, and for those who can't stand up for themselves.”
To date, Israel's deadly military response to the Hamas offensive has reportedly killed more than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank—many of them women and children—and displaced nearly two million Gazans as the war has entered his sixth month without end. in view. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected calls for a ceasefire to end the conflict that has also sparked a massive humanitarian crisis, with the UN warning that more than half a million Palestinians face starvation in the region where almost all infrastructure has collapsed.
To date, a number of other celebrities have also called for a ceasefire, including Gigi and Bella Hadid, Susan Sarandon, Kehlani, The Weeknd, Annie Lennox, Hunter Schafer, Hozier, Pedro Pascal, Angelina Jolie, Mark Ruffalo and Boygenius. On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for new elections in Israel to replace Netanyahu, saying the hardline leader's government “no longer fits Israel's needs.”
Schumer, who is Jewish and a longtime staunch supporter of Israel, said: “As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose its leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may. But the important thing is that Israelis are given a choice. There must be a new debate on the future of Israel after October 7th. In my opinion, this is best achieved by holding elections.”
Watch the video of Rapp's statement below.
