Pop music icons Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez were among the high-profile attendees at a New York comedy event aimed at raising funds for humanitarian aid in Gaza. The event, held on December 8 in Brooklyn, was hosted by comedian Ramy Youssef, with proceeds going to ANERA (American Near East Refugee Aid), a charity focused on providing relief in Gaza. Other celebrities present included model Cara Delevingne and actors Anya Taylor-Joy and Zoe Kravitz.

Despite their participation, Swift and Gomez faced criticism for their perceived silence on the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Some social media users accused the stars of using the event as a public image stunt, while others criticized their lack of support for Israelis affected by the war.

Swift, recently named “Person of the Year” by Time magazine, has been under fire for not being more politically outspoken. Gomez, on the other hand, has been criticized for not addressing the conflict, despite expressing her heartbreak over global violence and terror in a recent Instagram post.

Read more at The Independent.