Over 10,000 people — lots of them distinguished figures from British tradition — have signed a letter condemning the atrocities perpetrated by Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Israel on Oct. 7 and demanding the speedy launch of the greater than 200 civilians nonetheless being held hostage.
Among those that have signed the letter, titled the October Declaration, are “The Lion King” lyricist Tim Rice, playwright Tom Stoppard, “The Pianist” actor Maureen Lipman, “Doctor Who” actor Tracy Ann Oberman and “Dreamland” actor Frances Barber.
“On 7 October 2023 the State of Israel and her residents, each Jews and non-Jews, had been subjected to a brutal terrorist assault, which resulted within the homicide, torture, rape and kidnapping of over 1,500 folks,” the letter states. “More Jews had been killed on that day than on some other day for the reason that Holocaust. We are conscious that Jews usually are not the one victims of this tragedy. Hamas knew that there can be penalties to 7 October, however the penalties didn’t weigh with Hamas.”
The letter goes on to say: “We name for all of the hostages taken on 7 October to be launched instantly. It is a necessary step on the trail to peace and the cessation of hostilities.”
More than 2000 folks had been murdered by Hamas through the bloodbath two weeks in the past, together with kids, senior residents and in some circumstances whole households. At least 200 victims are nonetheless being held hostage in Gaza. Their ages vary from 9 months outdated to folks of their 80s and symbolize a lot of nationalities in addition to Israeli, together with American, British, French and Thai. Israel is presently getting ready a floor assault to try to retrieve the hostages and finish Hamas’s reign of terror in Gaza and all through the area.
Other signatories to the letter embody historian Tom Holland, writer Ayaan Hirsi Ali and literary agent Neil Blair and ladies’s proper campaigner (and inspiration for “Absolutely Fabulous” character Edina) Lynne Franks. Screenwriter Nicholas Martin, who wrote the recently-released film “Golda,” starring Helen Mirren because the formidable Israeli Prime Minister, additionally signed the declaration.
The October Declaration comes on the heels of one other letter, organized by Artists for Palestine U.Ok., signed by a lot of British celebrities together with actors Tilda Swinton, Charles Dance and Maxine Peake and comic Steve Coogan which condemned Israel and didn’t make any point out of Hamas’s motion in Israels or specific sympathy for these murdered.
At least one signatory to the Artists for Palestine U.Ok. letter, “Outlander” star Sam Heughan, has since retracted their signature. Heughan posted to Twitter: “I inadvertently signed one thing that doesn’t replicate my beliefs. I believed it was a easy name for PEACE… it wasn’t.”
