‘Heartbreaking and terrifying’: Malala Yousafzai condemns Rafah attack

Education activist and producer Malala Yousafzai condemned the attacks in Rafah, calling them “heartbreaking and terrifying” while calling for a ceasefire, during an interview with British Vogue on Thursday.

“This is such a difficult time right now, especially because of what’s happening in Gaza, and especially this week, what we saw in Rafah,” said the Nobel Laureate.

“It is heartbreaking and terrifying to have witnessed these moments. People are so angry and can’t believe this could happen right in front of our eyes.”

Malala further addressed the state of affairs and called for humanising Palestinians.

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“When I think about what Palestinians in Gaza are going through, I cannot even imagine the atrocities and the pain. For me at this time, I feel like humanising people is so important. It’s one of the biggest challenges we face.”

“Oftentimes, when we look at conflicts, wars, oppression against people, it always begins with dehumanising another group. I want people in Palestine not to be dehumanised. I want people to see those children as humans.”

“They need a ceasefire, they need humanitarian aid, they need peace,” she was further quoted as saying.

Malala went on to further address the loss of childhood and education for Gaza’s children, adding how “everybody wants a life where they can play sports, watch TV, go to school.”

“I cannot believe that more than 80 per cent of the schools in Gaza have been bombed, and there is no university left. This indiscriminate bombing needs to stop.”

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Malala was speaking with British Vogue about a cowgirl cameo in ‘We Are Lady Parts’, season 2, a show about an all-female Muslim punk band.

She appears on the episode when a song based on her life is played.

In the scene, she is dressed as a cowgirl who appears atop a horse, and said she was “honoured to be part of the cowgirl group, joining Beyoncé and Bella Hadid”.

She also spoke about an upcoming documentary that she produced, ‘Bread and Roses’ – a story of Afghan women who are refusing to live under the Taliban’s systematic oppression.

Last month, Malala came under heavy criticism for collaborating with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for a new Broadway musical that they jointly produced.

Netizens called her a “sell-out” for being silent about Gaza and for collaborating with Clinton a “warmonger”.

Malala called ‘sell-out’, criticised for collaborating with Hillary Clinton

She then immediately issued a statement condemning the Israeli government for “violations of international law and war crimes”, and called for action against “alarming signs of genocide”.