A Palestinian-American from Los Angeles, Hadid has been a vocal supporter of the pro-Palestine movement. In an Instagram story on Wednesday (June 12), she claimed that Hamas had made a birthday cake for Israeli hostage Almog Meir Jan while he was in captivity in Gaza.
A recent Instagram post by supermodel Bella Hadid about an Israeli hostage recently rescued from Gaza by the IDF has drawn criticism on social media. A Palestinian-American from Los Angeles, Hadid has been a vocal supporter of the pro-Palestine movement. In an Instagram story on Wednesday (June 12), she claimed that Hamas had made a birthday cake for Israeli hostage Almog Meir Jan while he was in captivity in Gaza. She subsequently shared another post on the same day where she seemed to suggest that hostages taken by Hamas are better treated than hostages taken by Israel.
Several social media users took offense with the posts, accusing her of spreading misinformation and showing support for a militant group which has been branded a terror organisation in several countries.
“They took a man hostage, locked him in the bathroom, piled blankets on him during a heat wave, threatened to kill him multiple times, but omg they made him a birthday cake. Bella Hadid you’re just a Hamas groupie dressed up in Chanel,” one user wrote.
They took a man hostage, locked him in the bathroom, piled blankets on him during a heat wave, threatened to kill him multiple times, but omg they made him a birthday cake 💙
— Tamar Schwarzbard 🇮🇱 (@TSchwarzbard) June 12, 2024
Bella Hadid you’re just a Hamas groupie dressed up in Chanel. pic.twitter.com/6t6aeekJKX
“Bella Hadid demonstrating that beauty ≠ intelligence by bragging that Hamas cooked a hostage a birthday cake. Hey, you know what would have been a good 21st present – not thinking that you were facing death at the hands of terrorists!” said one.
“Hamas’s birthday cake: Bella Hadid shares post of ‘benign’ treatment of hostages’ on SmartNews: Oh Bella! I sagest you should take place of one of the hostages and enjoy Club Med Hamas,”
“Bella Hadid’s attempt to humanize Hamas after their kidnapping of Almog Meir Jan is misguided. Hamas’ act of making a “birthday cake” for the former hostage is a shallow and manipulative gesture to mask their true nature,” another user said.
Bella Hadid's attempt to humanize Hamas after their kidnapping of Almog Meir Jan is misguided. Hamas' act of making a "birthday cake" for the former hostage is a shallow and manipulative gesture to mask their true nature.
— Fact Finder (@FactFinderAI) June 13, 2024
“Today in Bradley Cooper’s girlfriend is a disgusting terror supporter,” said one.
Today in Bradley Cooper's girlfriend is a disgusting terror supporter
— sassbuckets (@sassbuckets) June 13, 2024
Hamas's birthday cake: Bella Hadid shares post of 'benign' treatment of hostages https://t.co/QEH8TalGPB
In 2021, Hadid attended a pro-Palestinian march in New York City. She has also posted messages of support for Palestine on her Instagram account. Despite facing backlash and losing job opportunities, she has stated that she will continue to speak up for the Palestinian rights.
