A growing number of Swifties are calling on Taylor Swift to break her silence on Gaza

The conflict has lasted more than six months and Israel has said it will continue fighting to free About 125 people are believed to remain captive. in Gaza.

Swift, possibly the most famous and popular person in the US, has not made any comments about Israel or Gaza since the conflict began. And while he has occasionally intervened in American politics (mostly about the right to abortion and the legislation that has aimed at the LGBTQ community), has also faced scrutiny from her fans for her silence on various issues. Other fans, however, have expressed concern that expressing a stance on controversial global political issues could compromise the star's safety during an international tour.

Smits, who said he watches all the Eras Tour livestreams and has seen Palestinian flags in the audience, plans to bring his own pro-Palestinian friendship bracelets when he attends one of Swift's shows in July in Amsterdam.

"The impact Taylor Swift would have would be enormous and that's why her silence is frustrating," he said.

The push comes alongside a broader movement on social media that has refocused attention on Israel's advance toward Rafah, a city Israel once held. designated as safe zone. On Instagram, a particularly viral image that appeared to have been generated by artificial intelligence showed refugee tents that spelled “All eyes on Rafah.” That image, which was criticized in its own right to drown out real footage of the ground in Rafah, was seized upon by some Swifties after Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, two musicians who have produced much of Swift's music, both shared on Instagram this week.

Many Swifties also noted that Paramore, the band that opens for Swift during the European leg of the Eras Tour, shared a statement on her Instagram Story on Wednesday highlighting Save The Children and Doctors Without Borders, two non-governmental organizations providing humanitarian aid in Gaza.

A representative for Swift did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

As part of their pressure, some people on X resurfaced a clip of past comments In her 2020 Netflix documentary “Miss Americana,” Swift expressed her regret for not speaking out against Donald Trump during the 2016 election.

“I need to be on the right side of history,” she is seen telling her family and public relations staff.

Swift faced some backlash following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel over a film of a concert held earlier this year in Jerusalemas concerns grew about the conflict and its humanitarian consequences in Gaza.

Now, more pro-Palestinian sentiment has emerged in some of their recent shows. Photos of concertgoers carrying Palestinian flags or holding dazzling Swift-themed pro-Palestinian signs circulated on social media this week as online Swifties cheered each other on, especially those who had snagged front-row seats at the Eras Tour, to show them at your shows hoping the pop star would notice.

Many also urged attendees to create and trade Swift-themed merchandise. friendship bracelets (an activity that has become common in their shows) that incorporate pro-Palestinian messages, and to tag social media posts From the program with #SwiftiesForPalestine.

Swift was also named on several of the #Blockout2024 and “digital guillotine” lists that circulated earlier this month, as social media users staged a controversial campaign to block hundreds of celebrities and influencers who have not spoken out about Gaza. Some stars on the block lists, such as rapper Lizzo and influencer Chris Olsen, posted their first public videos about Gaza in the days after the campaign began.

The pressure on Swift seems fueled, at least in part, by the understanding that the 34-year-old icon now has an audience that can quickly spring into action. in a open letter As Swift shared online Wednesday, one fan account wrote that even Swift's “smallest action” could inspire her huge fan base to “raise support for immediate humanitarian aid” for the Palestinians.

"The international community, including many influential voices, has called for justice and peace, but the agony continues," the letter said. “His influence transcends borders and his words have the power to reach and activate a wide audience, including people who are unaware of the seriousness of the genocide.”