Drake Signs Open Letter Calling For Ceasefire In Gaza

Drake has joined a growing list of high-profile musicians, directors and actors calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Canadian star added his name to an open letter on artists4ceasefire.org, a website with an open letter to United States President Joe Biden urging "your administration, and all world leaders, to honor all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay – an end to the bombing of Gaza, and the safe release of hostages.”

"We come together as artists and advocates, but most importantly as human beings witnessing the devastating loss of lives and unfolding horrors in Israel and Palestine," the letter says. "More than 5,000 people have been killed in the last week and a half – a number any person of conscience knows is catastrophic. We believe all life is sacred, no matter faith or ethnicity and we condemn the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians...As of this writing more than 6,000 bombs have been dropped on Gaza in the last 12 days - resulting in one child being killed every 15 minutes."

The letter includes a number of other major musicians including Dua Lipa, Michael Stipe, Killer Mike and Kaytranada. Drake is also joined by his producer Noah "40" Shebib, fellow Canadian rapper Belly and Canadian R&B singer Massari. Drake's occasional collaborator Mustafa has also penned an open letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging him to speak for Palestine. "I’m asking you to use our people’s tax dollars that have been exhausted to support the most funded & violent state in the world to also protect the relentlessly tormented people of Palestine," he wrote.

Drake rarely comments on world politics, but he has faced mounting criticism for not weighing in on the Israel-Hamas war. On the popular radio show The Breakfast Club and on his own show, hip-hop commentator and personality DJ Vlad has repeatedly said that he should speak on the topic as "the most famous Jewish person on Earth." He's also criticized DJ Khaled, who is Palestinian, for staying silent.

Drake's father, Dennis Graham, previously told TMZ that he supports his son's decision not to add his voice to the court of public opinion. But as the death toll rises and the violence intensifies, the rapper has decided to use the power of his name.

As of this writing (Oct. 30), the Washington Post reports that Israeli attacks have killed at least 8,005 people in Gaza and wounded more than 20,240, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, while Israeli authorities say that 1,400 Israelis have been killed, with more than 5,400 injured.