Selena Gomez is being accused of using pal Taylor Swift for publicity, after the pair attended a comedy gig in support of Palestinians on Monday.
The actress and her pop star BFF hung out at comedian Ramy Youssef's show in Brooklyn, along with model Cara Delevingne and Furiosa star Anya Taylor-Joy.
Proceeds from the event went to the American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), which provides relief to people in the Gaza Strip. The current Israel-Hamas conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory, with the majority of Gaza's 2.3 million population being made homeless.
However, fans accused Gomez of using Swift—who was recently named Time magazine's "Person of the Year"—to detract from her "problematic" comments on the war. Newsweek has reached out to Selena Gomez for comment via email.
On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 captives, according to figures from the Associated Press.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas, firing airstrikes on Gaza. Supplies of food, energy, fuel and medicine to the area have been cut off, with Israel launching a ground offensive on October 27. As of December 15, at least 18,700 Gazans have been killed, according to figures from AP.
Gomez has faced fierce backlash for her response to the conflict, with social media users suggesting her recent outings with Swift are to distract from the controversy.
"[Taylor] and selena are only friends when it comes to pr stunts now," wrote zubo on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter.
"Anytime ANYTHING happens w selena guess what? shes out to dinner with taylor!" said soph.
"This is some sort of pr tour of some sort to get back in the good books," said steph alongside a photo of Swift and Gomez together. "This friendship will never erase the stain that she has made by being completely being insensitive."
What Has Selena Gomez Said About the Israel-Hamas War?
When news of the attacks broke, many celebrities took to social media to share their thoughts on the war. Although well-known for her charity work and activism, the 31-year-old didn't comment immediately, confusing a portion of her fanbase.
In a statement shared to Instagram on October 30, Gomez explained that she had taken a social media break for mental health reasons.
"My heart breaks to see all of the horror, hate, violence and terror that's going on in the world," the Only Murders in the Building star wrote.
"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."
Gomez's choice of words sparked uproar, with a number of fans slamming the singer for claiming a post won't "change the world" despite having 429 million Instagram followers.
The situation intensified in November. Fans compared the statement Gomez made about the Israel-Hamas conflict with her comments on the Ukraine war, accusing her of hypocrisy.
After sharing photos with new boyfriend Benny Blanco in December, a fan hit out at Gomez. Instagram user @danielacampinho accused the Rare Beauty Founder of being willing to post about her personal life but not the Israel-Hamas war, with Gomez replying "You're right."
Stunned by the response, some users suggested Gomez's account had been hacked, but the star has yet to comment on the matter.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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