#MusicForACeasefire open letter signed by over 1000 artists
The project, set up by Jeremy Corbyn's Peace And Justice organisation, has the backing of The Blessed Madonna and Midland, among many others
A new open letter calling for a ceasefire in Gaza has been signed by more than 1000 musicians.
#MusicForACeasefire was launched by Jeremy Corbyn's Peace And Justice organisation, and calls for an immediate end to Israel's military bombardment of Gaza, as well as a total ceasefire between Israeli military forces and Hamas, the militant group that launched an attack on Israel on 7th October.
The Blessed Madonna, Midland, Melé and The Human League's Martyn Ware were among the original collective of signees of the letter, but since then, more than 300 additional artists – including Ghetts, Primal Scream and Becky Hill – have also thrown their support behind its message.
Calling on the UK and US governments to condemn Israel's collective punishment of the Palestinian people, the letter cites United Nations secretary general António Guterres' quote that Gaza has become "a graveyard for children", while also drawing attention to the World Health Organisation's statement that the level of suffering experienced by those caught up in the conflict is "hard to fathom".
The full open letter reads: "We the undersigned call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the bombardment of Palestine that has already taken the lives of over 11,000 innocent civilians, aid workers and journalists.
"The United Nations secretary general António Guterres has said Gaza is becoming 'a graveyard for children', and whilst the devastation continues, the UK and US governments fail to stand up for humanity, condemn the collective punishment of the Palestinian people and advocate for peace instead of bloodshed.
"A ceasefire would allow for unhindered humanitarian aid in Gaza, where the World Health Organisation has said the level of death and suffering by the 2.2 million civilians caught up in this conflict is 'hard to fathom'.
"We are a diverse coalition of artists, musicians and performers calling for an end to the siege of Gaza, immediate humanitarian aid for the many frightened, starving and wounded civilians trapped amongst the rubble, and meaningful diplomatic intervention from our political leaders to facilitate the release of hostages, an end to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine and for lasting peace in the region."
Musicians and performers who wish to add their support to the open letter can email [email protected] to add their name to the list of signees.
Hundreds of electronic musicians and DJs recently signed an open letter in solidarity with Palestine as part of the Ravers For Palestine movement. The letter – which had the support of signees such as Ross From Friends, Objekt, Shannen SP and Tash LC, among many others – is one of a number of open letters and campaigns shared by cultural figures in recent weeks calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
A large number of musicians and record labels have been releasing music via Bandcamp in an effort to raise funds for charities working to support innocent civilians impacted by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Find a selection of those here.
