Macklemore is speaking amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
On Thursday, the “Thrift Shop” singer (whose real name is Ben Haggerty), 40, shared a lengthy statement on Instagram calling for a ceasefire as the tragedy unfolds in Israel and Gaza.
“I was in fear. I literally felt a lump in my throat and I can no longer remain silent. I condemn the murder of every human being,” he began his statement. “The bombings, kidnappings and killings of the Israeli people by Hamas were horrific in every way imaginable. My heart aches deeply for the Israelis who lost loved ones to such atrocity.”
The singer-songwriter said that “as a father” it was “absolutely unfathomable” to contemplate the loss of a child at the Nova u Re’im festival in Israel, where Hamas killed hundreds of Israelis, before taking a firm stand. “Killing innocent people in retaliation as collective punishment is not the answer. That’s why I support people around the world who are calling for a ceasefire.”
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“I was backstage the night before the show, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face in absolute disbelief that we as a country are supporting these murders with our weapons and financial support,” he wrote, referring to the United States’ support for war aid for Israel.
“We collectively pray for Israel before NFL football games, project Israeli flags on our buildings and watch extensive news coverage of the catastrophic bombings in Israel,” he added. “These are all important ways to honor the Israeli lives lost and those who suffer as a result. But why don’t we do the same for the Palestinians? How are the lives of one group of people more valuable than others?”
Macklemore – who noted he is not “an expert on this conflict” – said there is “no side we can take when it comes to our collective human spirit.”
“I stand with all people. I stand for peace. I stand for love. I stand for freedom. And that’s why I stand for a free Palestine and an end to the threatened genocide against its people,” he concluded.
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The struggle between Israel and Hamas began with Hamas’s deadly surprise attack on Israeli civilians on October 7. Since then, Israel has vowed to defend itself, calling for the immediate evacuation of 1.1 million civilians in Gaza City ahead of planned attacks.
On October 17, an explosion at a hospital in Gaza killed thousands of Palestinians, although US government officials said Israeli involvement in the deadly incident was unlikely.
According to the AP and Reuters, 1,400 people, including 31 Americans, have been killed in Hamas attacks in Israel, while approximately 2,800 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza.
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