Over 300 British celebrities, including global music star Dua Lipa and acclaimed actor Benedict Cumberbatch, have signed an open letter demanding that the UK government immediately suspend arms exports to Israel. The letter, organized by humanitarian organization Choose Love, calls on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take decisive action in response to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The signatories—which also include Tilda Swinton, Riz Ahmed, Paloma Faith, Annie Lennox, and Massive Attack—urge the UK to end its “complicity in the horrors in Gaza” by stopping the sale of weapons and supporting a permanent ceasefire.
Dua Lipa, a British-Albanian pop icon, has been outspoken about the conflict, previously describing Israel’s military operations in Gaza as “genocide”—a claim Israel denies, asserting its actions are aimed at dismantling Hamas following the deadly attacks in October 2023.
The letter states: “You can’t call it ‘intolerable’ and keep sending arms.” It challenges the UK to ensure unrestricted humanitarian aid, promote an immediate ceasefire, and halt all military exports to Israel.
Gary Lineker, the former BBC sports presenter, also signed the letter, adding to growing pressure from public figures, legal experts, and writers. This week alone, more than 800 British lawyers, including senior judges, and nearly 400 authors across the UK and Ireland issued separate letters warning of the risk of genocide.
Earlier this year, the UK government suspended 30 of 350 arms export licenses to Israel, citing the risk of potential breaches of international humanitarian law. However, campaigners say stronger measures are urgently needed as thousands of civilians have been killed in Gaza since Israel resumed its offensive in March 2025.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 54,000 deaths in Gaza, with most victims reported to be civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry. The two-month blockade on aid has worsened the humanitarian disaster, leaving the population on the brink of starvation.
The letter ends with a powerful question to the UK Prime Minister:
“The children of Gaza cannot wait another minute. Prime Minister, what will you choose? Complicity in war crimes, or the courage to act?”