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Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty announces donations for victims of Israel-Hamas war

By JUSTINE PUNZALAN Published Nov 07, 2023 11:53 am

Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty makeup line has vowed to provide care to Palestinian civilians affected by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war which has a death toll that recently surpassed 10,000.

The company made the announcement in a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday, Nov. 7, with a minimalist art card that reads, "Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza."

In the post's caption, Rare Beauty expressed its aversion towards "all forms of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia" as seen on Oct. 7 when Hamas, a Sunni Islamist political and military organization governing Gaza, attacked Israel civilians in the area. Hamas' attack killed about 1,400 people, while 240 were held hostage by the group.

"We are devastated by the images & reports coming from the Middle East," Rare Beauty began its post.

"Thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes & millions of civilians have been displaced & left without access to food, water, medicine, or basic necessities for survival. A large number of these victims are children. Palestinian civilians must be protected, period."

The brand went on to express how "heartbroken" it is for the attacks against Israel civilians on Oct. 7, many of which are children. A recent report by the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza states that the death toll in the war has surpassed 10,000, with 4,100 of the victims being children and 2,640 being women.

With this, Rare Beauty is urging "everyone to support humanitarian organizations working tirelessly to provide aid & relief to those in need," noting that "every bit of help can make a difference."

The Selena Gomez-fronted brand then committed to making donations to non-profit organization providing care on the ground, namely the International Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement, and UNICEF.

It concluded the post by encouraging anyone whose mental health is being affected by the war to reach out to local health crisis centers.

Rare Beauty said that all these are being done as the company is rooted in inclusivity and kindness, and "aims to reduce the stigma associated with mental health."

The brand's launch of its advocacy campaign follows Selena's announcement that she's taking a break from social media because her "heart breaks" from seeing "all the horror, hate, violence, and terror that's going on in the world."

"People being tortured and killed or any act of hate towards any group is horrific. We need to protect all people, especially children, and stop the violence for good," the 31-year-old star wrote in her Instagram Story last Nov. 2.

"I'm sorry if my words will never be enough for everyone or a hashtag. I just can't stand by innocent people [getting] hurt. That's what makes me sick. I wish I could change the world, but a post won't."

However, the actress-singer's post drew backlash from social media users who said that it took too long for the star to speak up and described her response as weak. According to Fox News, Selena deleted her Instagram account shortly after, saying that she does not support "any of what's going on."