Olivia Rodrigo Speaks Out for Palestine: 'To Give Up on Them Is to Give Up on Our Shared Humanity'

Yahoo

2 days ago

Olivia Rodrigo has officially added her voice to the growing chorus of celebrities speaking out on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and she's not holding back.
In a raw and emotional Instagram story posted Saturday, the Guts singer addressed the suffering of Palestinian civilians with unflinching clarity, writing:
'There are no words to describe the heartbreak I feel witnessing the devastation that is being inflicted upon innocent people in Palestine. Mothers, fathers, and children in Gaza are starving, dehydrated, and being denied access to basic medical care and humanitarian aid.'
Rodrigo continued, calling out the global failure to protect innocent lives:
'There is no child in Israel, Palestine, or anywhere in the world who deserves to suffer through what we're seeing these children have to endure. It is horrific and completely unacceptable. To give up on them is to give up on our shared humanity.'
The 21-year-old pop phenomenon concluded her statement with a call to action, revealing that she had made a donation to UNICEF USA and encouraged her 36 million followers to do the same:
'I have made a donation to UNICEF to help support the victims of this horrifying situation and encourage you to do the same if you have the means.'
Alongside her statement, Rodrigo included a swipe-up link to the UNICEF USA website, an organization that has been providing humanitarian aid to Palestinian children in Gaza and the West Bank since the early 1980s.
According to UNICEF, their work in the region includes access to clean water and sanitation, education, medical care, psychosocial support, and emergency relief. Since the escalation of the conflict, their staff in Gaza and Jerusalem have been working under dire circumstances to deliver aid and protect children amid what the UN has repeatedly described as 'a humanitarian catastrophe.'
This isn't the first time Rodrigo has taken a bold stance on human rights. Her growing reputation as one of Gen Z's most socially aware celebrities is rooted in a long list of activism that spans reproductive justice, education access, immigrant rights, and racial justice.
Rodrigo has:
Advocated for reproductive freedom after the overturning of Roe v. Wade
Promoted girls' education and immigrant rights through multiple nonprofit partnerships
Urged fans to get vaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic
Publicly supported the Black Lives Matter movement
Participated in the viral #NoKings protest against the monarchy in 2025
Partnered with HeadCount to promote voter registration at her concerts
Now, she's adding Palestinian children to that list.
Rodrigo's statement immediately lit social media ablaze, sparking praise, criticism, and heartfelt reactions across platforms. Her decision to speak up, while cautiously worded to acknowledge children on both sides of the conflict, received a wide spectrum of responses.
Some fans were moved by her courage:
'Olivia Rodrigo always knew u were the realest bitch in the industry,' one user tweeted.
'I don't want to hear anyone again speak on Olivia Rodrigo's name that she isn't a good person or do anything,' wrote another.
Others, however, criticized the timing and phrasing of her message:
'It's been a year and a half since Israel began their genocide in Gaza. It's disappointing that it took Olivia Rodrigo this long to speak out and she still had to mention Israel in her post,' one user commented, reflecting ongoing tensions over celebrity silence and 'bothsidesism.'
But many also pointed out the significance of a mainstream American pop star with Rodrigo's level of fame taking any stance at all:
'Olivia Rodrigo making her humanitarian stance known at her very young age in an industry of so-called activists and bullies. THIS IS THE NEW GENERATION,' one user tweeted emphatically.
Information about the number of deaths in the Gaza war varies depending on the source and date of the report. The Gaza Health Ministry, which is administered by Hamas, reports that at least 57,762 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and July 9, 2025. Independent scholars estimate that 80% of these deaths are civilians.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported a similar toll, citing at least 57,680 deaths over the same period.
When it comes to child casualties, UNICEF stated that more than 14,500 children have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war. The Gaza Ministry of Health places that number even higher, reporting that at least 17,400 children have died in Israeli attacks since October 2023.
Rodrigo's statement arrives at a moment when silence is no longer an option for public figures with global platforms, especially those idolized by millions of young fans.
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