Oscars 2024: Why were celebrities wearing red pins?

On the night of the 96th Academy Awards, stars came out wearing red pins calling for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Celebrities including, Ramy Youssef, Billie Eilish, Ava DuVernay, Mark Ruffalo, Mahershala Ali and many more showed up wearing red pins demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza strip.

The pins were launched by Artists4Ceasefire, an artist collective that penned an open letter to the American President Joe Biden calling for an "immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost."

Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Bradley Cooper, Hasan Minhaj and many others are the signatories to the letter.

"We urge your administration, Congress, 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. Half of Gaza’s two million residents are children, and more than two thirds are refugees and their descendants being forced to flee their homes. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them", the letter read.

Ramy Youssef at the 96th Academy Awards.

In a red carpet interview to The Hollywood Reporter, comedian and actor, Ramy Youssef said, "We’re all calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. We’re calling for the safety of everyone involved."

"We really want lasting justice and peace for the Palestinian people...We really just want to say, ‘let’s just stop killing children'...," Youssef said.

Director Ava DuVernay, actor Mahershala Ali and Singer Billie Eilish during the Academy Awards.

Actor Mark Ruffalo, has been calling for a ceasefire for a while and has attended several events wearing the red pin showcasing his support.

"We’re not going to bomb our way to peace, and all we’re saying is, what’s wrong with giving a cease-fire a chance?", Ruffalo told Deadline on the Directors Guild of America Awards' red carpet.

Mark Ruffalo at the 96th Academy Awards.

Nearly 31,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during the five month long war, that began after Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

The Gaza health ministry does not break down the death toll between civilians and Hamas militants but has said that 72 per cent of those killed were women and children.

(With Reuters inputs)