Latest news with #RachelAccurso
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Ms. Rachel didn't say Palestinian children's lives are 'worth more' than others
Claim: Rachel Accurso, better known as Ms. Rachel, said, "You may pay a price for defending Palestinian children. Let it be paid! Their lives are worth more!" Rating: Context: Accurso's consistent message, mostly expressed on social media and in interviews, centers her universal support of all children's rights, including access to food, water, education, medical care and protection from violence. In addition to advocating for Gazan and Israeli children and families, she has expressed support for children living in other conflict zones, including Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ukraine. Beginning in May 2025, online users shared quote memes claiming Rachel Accurso, better known as the YouTube children's educational star Ms. Rachel, said the lives of Palestinian children were "worth more" than others. The quote read: "You may pay a price for defending Palestinian children. Let it be paid! Their lives are worth more!" For example, on June 1, an X user posted (archived) a quote meme with Accurso's picture and the purported comment. The post received more than 2.2 million views, 17,000 reposts and 110,000 likes. (Image courtesy of @theleftbible/X) Another X user's post (archived) from May 22 featured a different meme displaying the same quote, earning nearly 2 million views and more than 22,000 reposts and 170,000 likes. Many other users shared the same quote or a meme displaying the quote on Facebook (archived), Instagram (archived), LinkedIn (archived), Reddit (archived), Threads (archived), TikTok (archived) and X (archived). (Image courtesy of @donyaihsan/X) However, searches of Bing, DuckDuckGo, Google and Yahoo, as well as The Associated Press, CNN, Fox News, People and The Washington Post, found no evidence of Accurso ever making the remark, or saying with other words she believed the lives of Palestinian children were more valuable than others. Rather, users sharing the quote with her image and name mischaracterized her past comments, in which she had repeatedly spoken out about the suffering of Gazan children and Israeli hostages during the Israel-Hamas war, as well as children suffering in other countries, while at the same time expressing universal support for all children's rights, including access to food, water, education, medical care and protection from violence. The image of Accurso appearing in the aforementioned June 1 X post originated from an interview on NBC's "Today" show, a brief appearance in which no one mentioned Israel, Gaza or conflict zones. The May 22 X post's photo possibly originated from one of Accurso's videos intended for children. Snopes contacted Creative Artists Agency, which represents Accurso, to ask about the misleading quote memes. We also sent a private message to the author of the aforementioned Reddit post on the r/Palestinian subreddit to ask for their source regarding the quote, as their post was the earliest record found yet online, according to our searches. We will update this story if we learn more. In the year and months since Oct. 7, 2023 — the day when the militant Palestinian group Hamas carried out an attack in Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 250 hostages, including dozens who later died in captivity — Accurso's @msrachelforlittles Instagram page, and her other social media accounts, became more and more filled with posts about supporting children and families in both Gaza and Israel, as well as those involved in conflicts in other countries. Citing Palestinian health authorities, Reuters reported in March 2025 that Israel's ground and air campaign in Gaza had killed more than 50,000 people, with nearly a third under the age of 18. As one of many examples, on Feb. 9, Accurso posted her thoughts about universally caring for all children, without mentioning any countries or religions. The post read: "Compassion is not controversial. Human rights and children's rights are not controversial. All people being equal is not controversial. Children deserving access to water, food, education and medical care is not controversial. Children deserving to be protected from violence is not controversial." She added in the post's text caption, "Having to say this is heartbreaking." In another example, from June 3, she shared (archived) a message reading, in part, "I stand against all forms of hate and violence — including antisemitism, anti-Palestinian hate, anti-Arab hate, anti-Muslim hate and all hate meant to divide us and cause harm rather than bring us together. Every child, person and every family deserves to feel valued, loved and safe." Accurso's pinned Instagram posts, as of this writing, documented her meeting with a young Gazan girl named Rahaf. "Rahaf is a 3-year-old double amputee who lost her legs in an airstrike," she wrote in one post. In other posts, she told world leaders to "be so ashamed" of remaining silent regarding Gazan suffering, alleging such leaders practiced "anti-Palestinian racism." A review of Accurso's Instagram feed found posts expressing support not just of Gazan children and families but also Israeli victims, including documenting her meeting with "a close family member of hostages," expressing support for Israeli children and others who witnessed Hamas' attack on Oct. 7 and extending sympathy following the announcement of the deaths of three Israeli hostages — a woman named Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Kfir and Ariel. Also, on May 22, she posted, "My heart is so heavy hearing about the tragic killing of Israeli embassy workers, Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, outside the Capital Jewish Museum in D.C." In 2023, Accurso teamed up with the humanitarian nonprofit group Save the Children. In May 2024, she experienced online bullying after announcing a fundraiser affiliated with the charity organization, one benefitting children in conflict zones. She specifically mentioned "children living in conflict [in] Gaza, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo [and] Ukraine." On May 12, 2025, the Zeteo news media outlet, founded by journalist Medhi Hasan, published a video interview with Accurso. Hasan asked Accurso a number of questions, including about people who speak out against her for talking about the suffering of Gazan children. Zeteo has since published the full interview on YouTube. Accurso told Hasan: The idea that caring for a group of children in an emergency situation means you don't care about other children is false. And I just don't understand. I just don't understand it. As teachers, I was a New York City public school teacher, and I care about every child in my class. I don't care about half of them because of where they were born. I care about all of them. And if some are in an emergency situation, I'm going to say, "Let's help them." And it doesn't mean I don't deeply care about all of them. Later, she talked about meeting with the family member of an Israeli hostage, saying, "Our compassion doesn't have boundaries or borders. We just love kids, and I have connected and sat with a family member of a, whose family is held hostage right now, and I was moved to tears multiple times. It was horrific and harrowing, and I also put myself, as an empathetic person I put myself in that situation and it's just horrible." Hasan, asking Accurso about "a small minority of people who want to cause trouble" about her advocacy of Gazan children and all children, inquired about those people alleging her words amounted to antisemitism. She responded, while in tears, "It doesn't make sense. It's not true. I'm against any bigotry. And I've seen bigotry. It's, it's horrible. And I'm so against it." Asking why she speaks out in support of children living in conflict zones, including in Gaza, Sudan, Haiti and Mali, Accurso responded, "I do think it's a calling from God." In an NPR interview published on June 3, Accurso repeated many of the points she made to Hasan. Responding to a question about people who expressed criticism of her support of Gazan children, she said, "It's really painful. And I have to remind myself that people don't know my heart, and people try to tell you who you are, but you know who you are. And I know how deeply and equally I care for all children, and I do lean on my faith in that situation." The official Ms. Rachel website features biographies for her and her husband, Aron, who both star in their trademark "Songs for Littles" YouTube videos. Her biography twice says she advocates for "all children," makes note of her two master's degrees in education and mentions Herbie, a puppet character that appears in the Ms. Rachel series of videos: Rachel is a passionate educator who creates research-based videos to help toddlers and their families learn, bond, and thrive. Her videos infuse songs, games and nursery rhymes with strategies from experts to help children reach important milestones in the crucial early years of learning. Rachel believes all children are capable, brilliant and important. She loves learning from them and being around their contagious joy and wonder. Rachel has two master's degrees in education. She has one in early childhood development and one in music education. She is an advocate for children's rights and works to ensure that all children have access to high quality early childhood education. She is an ambassador for Save the Children and Room to Grow. Her sweet little boy inspired the show and continues to inspire her work every day! She is married to the amazing, Mr. Aron, AKA HERBIE! The Ms. Rachel YouTube channel has earned over 11 billion views and 15 million subscribers, as of this writing. Accurso's character has appeared in more than 100 videos, including prominently collaborating with the children's TV show "Sesame Street" and the Australian children's music group The Wiggles. For further reading, a previous fact check detailed the facts of another investigation featuring Ms. Rachel, in which an unfounded rumor claimed Accurso filed a lawsuit against comedian and creator Druski over a video parodying her famous character. Al-Mughrabi, Nidal, and Emma Farge. "Gaza Death Toll: How Many Palestinians Has Israel's Offensive Killed?" Reuters, 24 Mar. 2025, Cervantes Jr, Fernando. "Ms. Rachel Defends Advocacy for Palestinian Children amid Backlash: 'It's Sad.'" USA TODAY, 14 May 2025, Hasan, Mehdi. "EXCLUSIVE: The One and Only Ms. Rachel Opens Up to Mehdi on Her Advocacy for Gaza's Kids." Zeteo, 12 May 2025, Locke, Ashley, and Asma Khalid. "Ms. Rachel Says She'll Keep Advocating for Children in Gaza, Even If It Means Risking Her Career." New England Public Media, 3 June 2025, "Ms Rachel DEFENDS Her Support for Gaza's Kids." YouTube, Zeteo, 21 May 2025, "Ms. Rachel Details the Importance of Narrating Your Day to Children." 24 Sept. 2024, "@msrachelforlittles." Instagram, Odenheimer, Natan, et al. "Gaza War Led to Deaths of More Than 3 Dozen Hostages, Officials Say." The New York Times, 8 Mar. 2025, Peled, Anat, and Summer Said. "Hamas Took Around 250 Hostages From Israel. Here's What We Know." The Wall Street Journal, 27 Feb. 2025, "Team (Ms Rachel)." Ms Rachel | Official Site, "Tens of Thousands of Israelis Bid Farewell to Hamas Hostages Shiri Bibas and Her 2 Sons Killed in Gaza." PBS News, 26 Feb. 2025, Tolentino, Daysia. "Viral Kids Creator Ms. Rachel Says She Experienced Bullying after Fundraising for Children in Gaza." NBC News, 17 May 2024, Tracy, Marc. "Why Tot Celebrity Ms. Rachel Waded Into the Gaza Debate." The New York Times, 14 May 2025, "Trump Says Only 21 Hostages Held by Hamas in Gaza Are Still Believed to Be Alive." PBS News via The Associated Press, 7 May 2025, "YouTube Star Educator Ms Rachel Joins Save the Children to Help Boost Child Literacy." Save the Children, 8 Sept. 2023,
Telegraph
03-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
The former nursery teacher building a YouTube empire
For most people, Rachel Accurso's January deal with Netflix for four episodes of Ms. Rachel – with the promise of more to come later this year – barely registered, if at all. And most people couldn't understand why pro-Israel group StopAntisemitism would be pressing US attorney general to investigate whether this same Rachel Accurso was operating as a pro-Hamas foreign agent. For parents, however, the Netflix deal was more important than Taylor Swift and Timothee Chalamet joining a reboot of Friends for the streamer. And Accurso's take on Gaza was a headline grabbing controversy that caused rows on Mumsnet. Accurso is a kids' YouTuber and host of a show called Songs for Littles. She's both integral to the Netflix business plan a lightning rod for the culture wars - one suspected by the pro-Israel group StopAntisemitism to be operating as a pro-Hamas foreign agent (a claim she vehemently denies). But watching a Ms Rachel video, you wouldn't immediately pick that up. Fair warning, unless you're watching with your child, it's not the most riveting content. Even with a pre-schooler, it is not really a shareable experience, unless it's about 4pm, you're still in your pyjamas, the floor is a mess, and you've opened the wine early again. In an episode titled Learning with Words and Colors for Toddlers, for instance, Ms Rachel appears in her uniform of pink shirt and denim dungarees in front of a brightly coloured animated background. 'Hi friends. I'm so excited to learn with you today,' she says. An animated egg appears next to her. 'What's that? It's a surprise egg. Yes. Maybe if we say open, it will open! Can you say open?' Pause. 'Open. Wow! it's a ball!' She looks at the ball and the screen in delighted surprise. 'Red ball. Red ball. Maybe if you say ball the ball will bounce. Say ball. Say ball. Say…' Pause. 'Ball.' The ball starts bouncing. And so on. She has an excited, open face and the patience to pause just long enough to encourage pre-schoolers to try for each word. And she's so wholesome she's somehow found the Platonic ideal shape of everyone's favourite primary school teacher. So parents love her for many things, not least of which is the length of her videos. Most are, at minimum, 30 minutes long whilst episodes of Songs for Littles, which sees her romp through classics like Wheels on the Bus, Old MacDonald and London Bridge is Falling Down, is a solid hour of content. That's a lot of time off to stare into space or text the parent group chat and one of the reasons she has been called 'the world's babysitter'. But they also love her for letting them do so without feeling guilty. Or at least, not as guilty as if the kids are watching the deranged animation CoComelon or any AI generated kids' animation on YouTube channels such as Yes! Neo or Super Crazy Kids. Miss Rachel is the closest thing to a Playschool presenter the Internet has produced. Before she found fame, the 42-year-old earned master's degrees in early childhood education and music education and worked as a music teacher in the Bronx. She left her job to spend time with her son, Thomas. Around his first birthday, she noticed that he was behind on speech development so started making videos for him. She and her musical theatre husband uploaded the videos to YouTube in 2019, and they immediately struck a chord with young children and their parents. She now has over 15 million subscribers, a small production team and earns between $10 million and $17 million a year through ads and merchandise. This is because YouTube is by some considerable margin the most popular place for kids' viewing. According to a May survey from Precise TV and Giraffe Insights, 72 per cent of two- to 12-year-olds in the UK watch YouTube, against subscription-based streamers (64 per cent), phone/tablet games (54 per cent) and console games (43 per cent). Kids spend an average of 83 minutes a day on YouTube, with only 26 per cent preferring British content over American. In part, this is due to the broadcasters retreating. 'All kids viewing used to be with broadcasters, but they've taken their foot off the pedal over the last decade, more so than any other genre, because you can't really monetise kids' content,' says Tom Harrington of Enders Analysis. 'There's not much you can advertise against it, kids 0-4 viewing isn't measured, and kids don't really need new content because they love watching the same thing again and again so there's no point commissioning 50 new episodes of Fireman Sam.' But kids' content is huge for streamers, he adds, because adults are fickle – they can take out a subscription for the latest cool drama then let it drop – but children are hyper loyal. They want their favourite shows available all the time again and again and again. 'In the data, what we can see is that preschool content is at the top for Netflix,' according to kids' content media analyst Emily Horgan. 'Preschoolers have a limited media footprint. Parents put them in front of Netflix because it's a safe space.' That's why Netflix just bought Sesame Street and originally did a deal with YouTube animation CoComelon in 2020. All eight seasons of that show appeared in the Netflix top 100 until 2024, when viewing started to trail off. In May, Disney + swooped in an bought the full eight eps of the strange cartoon, which it plans to show from 2027 alongside Bluey – which amassed 55.62 billion viewing hours on the streamer last year. In other words, Ms Rachel's theatre-kid-on-Adderall vibe woman is a serious part of Netflix's business. To be fair, she does actually know what she's doing. 'There's techniques Ms Rachel uses that are interesting – everything's incredibly slow, she's incredibly expressive, she talks to the camera and when she says something, she'll give a visual cue,' explains Rachel Diment, a UK speech and language therapist. 'I work with lots of kids that may have cerebral palsy or autism, and they're fascinated. In terms of supporting early language milestones, I would say Ms Rachel versus, say, Teletubbies then Ms Rachel's amazing.' The Teletubbies are unlikely to pose much of a threat to her empire, but Gaza might. Christian conservative parents have previously objected to her Instagram and TikTok content, which is not kid focussed. In 2024, she wished everyone a happy Pride Day, which lead to complaints. But but the Israel-Hamas war is proving a rolling maul of controversy and follows her advocating for Palestinian kids injured or made homeless in Gaza. She first posted about the conflict in May 2024 on Instagram, announcing that she would be raising money for Save the Children's emergency fund for children in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. Within hours she had raised $50,000 with orders for 500 personally recorded videos. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ms Rachel (@msrachelforlittles) A few days later she followed up with a message saying 'children should never experience the horrors of war – nor be killed, injured or taken hostage.' The messages seemed designed to be non-political and she has specifically posted in support of hostage children Ariel and Kfir Bibas. Her posts brought a backlash, and Accurso has posted tearful videos rejecting claims she is antisemitic and talking about her Christianity, saying she loves every child. Remarkably, she managed to ride out the row for almost a year. But in May, StopAntisemitism asked US attorney general Pam Bondi to find out whether Accurso was 'being remunerated to disseminate Hamas-aligned propaganda to her millions of followers.' Accurso has called accusations she received money from Hamas 'absurd' and carries on posting messages on Tik Tok, including a recent video where she told political leaders to 'be ashamed' for not doing enough to stop the killing. The conservative calls for boycotts and imitation 'Christian Ms Rachel' don't appear to have hurt her popularity. She's added two million subscribers this year. 'The kids don't know what her politics are and if the kids watch and they're quiet then I think that's more powerful than probably any political belief,' says Harrington. 'I would argue that you'd have to be quite a resilient person to say, well, I'm not going let the little ones watch that. I'd just prefer if they screamed for the next four hours.'
The Onion
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Onion
The Onion's Exclusive Interview With Ms. Rachel
Rachel Accurso, better known as Ms. Rachel, is a popular YouTuber who creates videos for toddlers. The Onion sat down with Ms. Rachel to discuss education, social media, and the backlash to her public support for the children of Gaza. The Onion : Why did you create your show Songs For Littles ? Ms. Rachel: I figured if that dipshit Blippi could make it big, anyone could. The Onion : What song do children love most? Ms. Rachel: 'Toxicity' by System of a Down. The Onion : What inspired you to speak out about Gaza? Ms. Rachel: While I've enjoyed a great deal of success, my real dream has always been getting called an 'antisemitic cunt' online. The Onion : What's the biggest advantage of creating content for babies? Ms. Rachel: They can't leave death threats in the comments. The Onion : Any fun stories from the set? Ms. Rachel: One day, no matter how many times I tried, I just couldn't count to four correctly. Turns out, I was having a stroke. The Onion : What do you say to children who recognize you in public? Ms. Rachel: Don't touch the overalls. The Onion : What do you say to your critics? Ms. Rachel: Good luck potty training your child without me.
CNN
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Climber rescued by helicopter after 30-foot fall in California
Climber rescued by helicopter after 30-foot fall in California A helicopter rescue crew hoisted a climber to safety after they fell roughly 30 feet while scaling Lily Rock in Idyllwild, California. The climber was left clinging to the cliffside with a limb injury. 00:49 - Source: CNN Vertical Trending Now 16 videos Climber rescued by helicopter after 30-foot fall in California A helicopter rescue crew hoisted a climber to safety after they fell roughly 30 feet while scaling Lily Rock in Idyllwild, California. The climber was left clinging to the cliffside with a limb injury. 00:49 - Source: CNN Kermit the Frog's advice for 2025 graduates and what he learned from 'the school of life' The University of Maryland's 2025 commencement speaker Kermit the Frog shares his advice for graduates with CNN's Sara Sidner. 01:14 - Source: CNN What most people don't know about the man who played Norm on 'Cheers' CNN senior data analyst Harry Enten shares some interesting facts about 'Cheers' actor George Wendt following his death at the age of 76. 01:33 - Source: CNN Ms. Rachel meets 3-year-old from Gaza YouTube star and children's educator Rachel Accurso, whose 'Songs for Littles' have been viewed billions of times, meets and sings one of her trademark songs with Rahaf, a 3-year-old double amputee from Gaza. Accurso, who has millions of followers across social media, has been outspoken about her views that the children in Gaza face a humanitarian crisis, and says she has received both support and bullying for her posts. 03:15 - Source: CNN Lightning bolt strikes police vehicle in Oklahoma Security footage captured the moment a lightning bolt struck a police vehicle in Newcastle, Oklahoma during severe storms that swept across the southern US on Monday. No one was injured in the incident, according to the Newcastle Emergency Department. 00:18 - Source: CNN Colombian model murdered in investigated femicide A 22-year-old university student and model was killed in the Colombian city of Cúcuta, in the latest case highlighting femicide rates in Latin America. Her death is under investigation, officials say, and comes only days after a Mexican influencer was killed by a male intruder during a livestream. 00:57 - Source: CNN Cat caught smuggling drugs into prison Officers at a prison in Costa Rica captured a cat with two packages of marijuana and cocaine attached to its body. According to the Costa Rican Ministry of Justice and Peace, the officers confiscated the drugs and handed over the cat to National Animal Health Service for health evaluation. 00:31 - Source: CNN Fisherman uses drone to help girl trapped in riptide Andrew Smith, the fisherman and drone operator, says EMTs told him that the swimmer caught in a riptide probably would've died if he wasn't there with his drone to buy them enough time. 00:59 - Source: CNN Pigs may be solution to organ shortage CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores how pigs could help address the human organ shortage through xenotransplantation. Learn how both a pig's similarities and differences make their organs a good match for humans. 'Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Animal Pharm' airs Sunday at 8pm ET/PT on CNN. 01:27 - Source: CNN Rare dust storm blankets Chicago The Chicago skyline disappeared momentarily as a wall of dust blew through the city. The National Weather Service attributed this to 60 to 70 mph winds that blew over dry farmlands, collecting dust and blowing it through the Chicago area, according to CNN affiliate WBBM. 00:32 - Source: CNN 'Robocake' includes edible batteries made of dark chocolate This wedding cake, created by researchers and chefs in partnership with the RoboFood project, has edible robotic bears that dance and chocolate batteries that power the candles. 01:28 - Source: CNN Pete Rose eligible for Hall of Fame Major League Baseball removed Pete Rose and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson - two of the sport's most famous players who were previously kicked out of baseball for gambling on the game - from the league's ineligible list. The historic decision allows Rose to be considered for induction into the iconic Baseball Hall of Fame, an honor that was previously ruled out as part of the settlement he reached with the league back in 1989. CNN's Andy Scholes explains. 01:03 - Source: CNN Kim Kardashian tells Paris robber she forgives him CNN's Max Foster notes three words that stood out during Kim Kardashian's five hours of testimony in a Paris courtroom today, where ten defendants are facing charges including armed robbery, kidnapping, and conspiracy. 01:07 - Source: CNN Rare volcanic eruption not seen in nearly 40 years Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano could be seen hurling lava upwards of 300 feet into the air during a series of 'rapid rebounds,' which scientists say hasn't been seen in nearly 40 years. 00:33 - Source: CNN Man injects himself over 600 times with snake venom Tim Friede, a self-taught snake expert from California, injected himself with snake venom 654 times over 18 years and later contributed his blood to help scientists develop a new universal antivenom. 01:42 - Source: CNN Hundreds of dachshunds gather in Hungary in record breaking attempt In Hungary, dachshunds and their owners gathered in an attempt to break the record of biggest ever dog walk – a record previously set at 897 by the German city of Regensburg. The Hungarian Records of Association tallied the dogs as they walked through the street with their owners. 00:41 - Source: CNN
Malay Mail
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Ms Rachel was a popular YouTube educator, until she spoke up for Gaza — now pro-Israel groups are trying to cancel her
WASHINGTON, May 21 — At first glance, the Instagram profile of Ms Rachel fits the image an influencer who has won millions of devoted subscribers for her sing-songy educational content for toddlers and parenting tips. In a pink hairband and denim dungarees, the 42-year-old mother-of-two doles out advice on potty training kids and moral support for struggling parents — always with a reassuring smile. So it was an abrupt shift last year when she began speaking out about the plight of children in Gaza, peppering her account with appeals for aid that sowed discord among followers and spurred calls for a federal investigation. 'I think it should be controversial to not say anything,' she said in a recent interview with independent anchor Mehdi Hassan, of the mounting backlash against her fundraising and advocacy. 'It's sad that people try to make it controversial when you speak out for children that are facing immeasurable suffering. Silence wasn't a choice for me,' she added. That compulsion has put a spotlight on the beloved figure in millions of households, the American early childhood educator and social media sensation known offline as Rachel Accurso. The fallout comes at a perilous moment for children in the war-battered Palestinian enclave, where aid has only just begun to trickle in after Israel cut it off for weeks, and where aid groups have sounded the alarm over food shortages and famine. But the backlash against her activism — which she has aimed at parents on social media, rather than in her videos for children — reflects broader polarisation in the United States over the war that has swept campuses, offices and society at large. 'All children, in every country' In May last year, Accurso launched a fundraising drive that gathered US$50,000 for Save the Children. But she spoke also spoke tearfully about the vitriol and 'bullying' that came streaming in the form of allegations of anti-Israeli bias. 'Palestinian children, Israeli children, children in the US — Muslim, Jewish, Christian children — all children, in every country,' she wrote in response. 'Not one is excluded.' Allegations of anti-Israeli bias and anti-Semitism have only mounted since. And so too the toll among children in Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry says more than 10,000 children have died since the October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas that left 1,218 people on the Israeli side dead. A privately funded pro-Israel lobby group last month urged US Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Accurso 'is being funded by a foreign party to push anti-Israel propaganda to skew public opinion.' The organisation StopAntisemitism, which describes itself as a grassroots watchdog, alleged Accurso was spreading 'Hamas propaganda.' But it also acknowledged that Accurso had posted in support of Israeli children, including Ariel and Kfir Bibas who were the youngest hostages taken by Hamas and died in captivity. Accurso told The New York Times the accusation she is being funded by Hamas was 'absurd' and 'patently false.' 'The painful reality,' the newspaper quoted her as saying, 'is that Palestinian children in Gaza have been killed by the thousands and continue to be killed, maimed and starved right now. The idea that caring about one group of children prevents us from caring about another group of children is false.' Palestinians move with their belogings through Jabalia as they flee the northern Gaza Strip towards Gaza City on May 19, 2025, amid Israeli evacuation orders and ongoing strikes. — AFP pic 'You should be ashamed' Accurso has deactivated comments on some of her posts urging support for Palestinian children. But commentators on other posts reflect the depth and breadth of emotions that have erupted over her posts. 'Love your show. Not your politics,' one user wrote under a Ms Rachel Instagram post promoting an interview on her activism. Another commentator says: 'Ms Rachel is a national treasure.' Among those voicing support for the megastar was Tommy Vietor, who worked with former president Barack Obama and hosts the popular Pod Save America podcast. 'Antisemitism is a real problem and cynically and dishonestly making those allegations for political purposes makes things worse, not better,' Vietor wrote, dismissing the anti-Semitism allegations. Accurso has ultimately doubled down, despite the criticism. She recently posted images of her meeting with Rahaf, a three-year-old girl from Gaza who lost both her legs in an attack. 'We know treating children like they are being treated in Gaza isn't right morally and ethically. We know it in our souls and hearts,' she wrote along with a picture of the two embracing. 'Leaders who are silent and not helping these children, you should be ashamed. Your silence will be remembered.' — AFP
