Ms. Rachel and Malala spotted on double date, but only one of them is winning praise for standing with Gaza

Children’s educator and prominent advocate for Palestinian rights Ms. Rachel met with Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai during a double date with their husbands this week, sharing a photograph of the gathering on Instagram.

Ms. Rachel, whose full name is Rachel Anne Accurso, said she "had such a nice double date" with Malala, describing the activist as "funny, lovely, and deeply committed to ensuring children have their right to education".

She also highlighted Malala's recent work with Palestinian refugees in Egypt through the organisation Inara, which is supported by the Malala Fund.

The American entertainer posted images of Malala reading her book to Palestinian children displaced from Gaza, drawing attention to ongoing efforts to support families affected by Israel's assault on the enclave.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Ms Rachel (@msrachelforlittles)

Ms. Rachel, who has used her platform to consistently highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and collaborate with Palestinian children, has been widely praised for her outspoken support.

Her advocacy, despite harassment and coordinated pushback from pro-Israel groups, led to her recognition as one of Glamour's 2025 Women of the Year.

Malala's public stance on the war, however, has drawn mixed responses. While she has condemned the destruction of Gaza's education sector and called for protection of Palestinian children, she has also faced criticism for cautious or delayed statements, including referring to the genocide as a "conflict" and collaborating on a musical project with Hillary Clinton, a strong supporter of Israel's military campaign.

Online, users have increasingly compared the two women's approaches to the onslaught in Gaza. After Ms. Rachel sang with a three-year-old Palestinian refugee in a widely shared video, social media users praised her for taking a clear and consistent stand, while accusing Malala of failing to match that level of advocacy.

Her approach has led some activists to question whether political pressures shape her public messaging on Palestine, even as she maintains a long-standing record of education-related advocacy in crisis zones.

"When Ms. Rachel has the guts to speak up about the genocide for months and Malala doesn't," one X user wrote.

"Tell Malala to take notes from Ms. Rachel. Much love and respect," another commented.

In her post, Ms. Rachel said that the conversations with Malala "would surprise everyone", without offering further details. "Lots of stories were told," she wrote.