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On October 7, 2023, Israel began a brutal assault on the Gaza Strip in response to an attack from the Palestinian group Hamas. What followed was three years of death and destruction the world now recognises as a genocide.

These three years have seen many people speaking up for the Palestinians who have been the victims of Israeli violence long before October 7, but it wasn’t always like this; it wasn’t always in vogue to condemn Israel’s brutality and many of those who did — especially celebrities — ended up suffering consequences.

Melissa Barrera

One of the earliest victims of Hollywood’s action against pro-Palestinian voices was actor Melissa Barrera, who was fired from her recurring role in the Scream franchise after she posted about Israel’s war on Gaza on social media.

Barrera had a role in the fifth and sixth Scream films and was shooting for the seventh when she was let go. Her on-screen sister Jenna Ortega, who has also been vocal about Palestine, left the film a day after Barrera’s firing was announced. Reports at the time denied Ortega left over her co-star’s removal, but netizens believed there was more to the story.

Susan Sarandon

Around the same time as the controversy surrounding Barrera began, Academy Award-winning actor Susan Sarandon was dropped by her talent agency for speaking at a pro-Palestine rally.

Her comments, which were deemed “anti-semitic” by the agency, compared anti-semitism to the Islamophobia Muslims in the US had been subjected to for years and called for people to talk to Jewish Americans who feel unsafe.

Macklemore

Rapper Macklemore made waves in 2024 with a song about the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab at the hands of Israeli forces and the student protests that followed in the US.

When he sang that song during a concert and called for a “free Palestine” while touring with Ed Sheeran, he was dropped from the tour under pressure from venue owners and businesspeople. The move drew intense criticism, with Sheeran’s remaining opening acts dropping out in solidarity.

There is a happy ending here, though. Macklemore took the opportunity to announce he was launching his own tour, with proceeds going towards organisations supporting Palestine. Tickets sold out “immediately” for the tour’s three shows, he said.

Bob Vylan

British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan were also dropped from a number of festivals and shows after they led chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces)” at the Glastonbury Festival in 2025.

The chants, which led to the duo having to cancel their US tour over visa issues, were criticised by then-British prime minister Keir Starmer.

Kneecap

Irish rap trio Kneecap said they faced censorship when the more political parts of the performance at Coachella were cut from the official livestream.

The group, which is known for its politically charged music, said they were being subjected to a “coordinated smear campaign”.

Massive Attack

British trip-hop band Massive Attack were detained in Singapore in July after two band members unfurled a Palestinian flag on stage at a concert.

Local laws prohibit the display of foreign flags and emblems without a permit and the display led to two band members being banned from entering the country.

Mia Khalifa

Playboy magazine terminated its partnership with Lebanese-American media personality and former adult entertainer Mia Khalifa just days after the events of Oct 7, 2023 after she referred to Palestinians as “freedom fighters” and told people siding with Israel they were on “the wrong side of apartheid”.

In an X post on Oct 8, she referred to Gaza as an “open-air prison” and said she wanted people to film good videos of “my people breaking down the walls” for the history books.

Bella Hadid

An advertisement featuring Palestinian model Bella Hadid wearing Adidas sneakers was taken down by the company in response to pressure from pro-Israel groups.

The pro-Israel groups were angry at Hadid modelling for a line of shoes commemorating the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich — marred by a deadly attack that killed 11 Israeli athletes — and pro-Palestine voices objected to the brand bowing to pressure.

In the end, Adidas apologised to Hadid and all its other partners who faced consequences from the campaign.

Though a ceasefire was reached in Oct 2025, Israel’s bloody campaign continues — albeit at a slower pace. Authorities in Gaza say at least 1,400 people have been killed by Israeli fire after the ceasefire, with the full death toll crossing beyond 74,000 people.