Malala Yousafzai reaffirms support for Gaza after being slammed over producing musical with Hillary Clinton

Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai reaffirmed her support for the people of Gaza after days of criticism over her decision to co-produce a Broadway musical with former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

“I wanted to speak today because I want there to be no confusion about my support for the people of Gaza,” she wrote in an Instagram post shared on Wednesday night.

“We have all watched the relentless atrocities against Palestinian people for more than six months now with anger and despair. This week’s news of mass graves discovered at Gaza’s Nasser and al-Shifa hospitals is yet another reminder of the horrors Palestinians bear it is their bones,” Yousafzai wrote. “We do not need to see more dead bodies, bombed shovels and starving children to understand that a ceasefire is urgent and necessary.”

She said that she has and will continue to “condemn the Israeli government for its violations of international law and war crimes, and I applaud efforts by those determined to hold them to account”. “Publicly and privately, I will keep calling on world leaders to push for a ceasefire and to ensure the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid.”

The activist said she “stands against any form of violence against innocent civilians, including the taking of prisoners and hostages”. “And I stand in solidarity with the people in Gaza whose voices and demands must be heard,” she wrote.

“When we see alarming signs of genocide, we cannot wait to take decisive action. We must work together to urge our leaders to stop these war crimes and hold perpetrators to account.”

Her statement comes after news surfaced of her producing Suffs, a Broadway musical on the suffrage movement in the US alongside Clinton. The internet was awash with criticism, with many calling the activist a sellout, particularly for partnering with Clinton on the project.

Clinton, the former First Lady and secretary of state, wrote an op-ed for The Atlantic last November in which she argued against a complete ceasefire in Gaza. She has also defended Israel, labelling criticism of it by students “antisemitic”. She has also been criticised over her involvement in drone attacks in Pakistan during her tenure.