Actress Debra Messing, Writer Lee Kern Among Latest Celebrities Visiting Israel to Show Solidarity Amid Hamas War
Debra Messing during the Will & Grace 25th Anniversary Celebration at The Paley Center for Media in New York NY on June 5, 2023. Photo: Usphotography/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
American actress Debra Messing and British writer-comedian Lee Kern have joined a slew of Hollywood celebrities who are visiting Israel this week to view first-hand the atrocities that unfolded on Oct. 7 during Hamas’ deadly rampage in the country and to meet with families affected by the massacre.
On Tuesday, Messing and the Oscar-nominated writer visited and went inside a tunnel in the Gaza Strip that has been used by Hamas terrorists to infiltrate Israel. They also met with Israeli soldiers to thank them for protecting Israel and gave them words of encouragement.
“Spent the morning in Gaza exploring a Hamas terror tunnel that [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar has been in,” Kern wrote in a post on X/Twitter that included a photo of himself inside the tunnel. “It’s insane. You don’t build kilometres, spend millions, take years doing the most tedious work unless you REALLY want to kill Jews. This war is all about the racist intent of Hamas.”
Messing additionally shared on her Instagram Story on Wednesday that she met and spoke with Ofelia Roitman, a 77-year-old from Argentina who was among the hostages released by Hamas. The former Will & Grace star also had a sit-down meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his wife, First Lady Michal Herzog.
Messing told them, “As soon as Oct. 7 happened, it just felt like I had to be here. I had to show everyone here that you’re not forgotten, that we care, and that we are working day and night to get the hostages out in any way that we can.” Hamas kidnapped 240 people during its invasion of southern Israel, in addition to murdering 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
Messing additionally said it’s “unconscionable” how women’s rights groups, feminist organizations, and human rights groups have been silent about the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre, which included rampant sexual violence against Israeli women and girls.
Others from Hollywood who are in Israel this week include record executive Scooter Braun, and actors Brett Gelman, Jerry Seinfeld, Michael Rapaport, and Gregg Sulkin. Several of them were photographed wearing the symbolic “Bring them home” dog tag around their necks, which draw attention to the campaign pushing for the release of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 7.
On Wednesday, Sulkin shared on Instagram a photo of him praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. In the caption, the British actor talked about hoping for peace in the region.
“Returning to the Western Wall, years after my Bar Mitzvah, I felt a profound connection to my heritage,” he said. “Standing here, I am reminded of the enduring spirit and resilience of the Jewish people. In the shadow of these ancient stones, I reflect on our everlasting prayers for peace. Proud of my roots, humbled by our history, and committed to a future where peace reigns supreme.”
Seinfeld and his family this week met family members of civilians still held hostage by Hamas as well as hostages who returned home from captivity.
“Seinfeld told the families that he feels a deep commitment to raising awareness around the world about the issue of the hostages, whose lives are in immediate danger,” according to the Bring Them Home Now campaign. “Hearing the stories, Seinfeld and his family were very moved, and it was evident that they were deeply affected by the experiences they heard from the family members and the released hostages.”
The former Seinfeld star also visited the Sheba Medical Center to talk with those wounded in the Oct. 7 attack.
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