Kim Kardashian slammed for opening 15 stores across Israel amid Gaza atrocities

Reality TV star and business person Kim Kardashian has come under fire after it was announced that her shapewear brand SKIMS is set to open 15 stores across Israel by 2026, amid atrocities carried out by Tel Aviv in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

According to various reports in Israeli media, the US brand signed a partnership deal with Irani Corp, which will see them open the brand in the Israeli market over the next to years.

Irani Corp is well known in Israel for bringing international fashion brands to the country.

SKIMS products have already started selling online, however store locations are set to start cropping up across Israel soon, with one already set for Glilot Mall and another at Ramat Aviv Mall.

The news has triggered waves of calls for people to boycott the brand, due to Israel’s war on Gaza as well as crimes committed in the occupied West Bank.

Israel’s war on Gaza, which started in October 2023, has killed at least 68,800 Palestinians and wounded over 100,000 others. The actual death toll is believed to be much higher, while the enclave has been pushed into famine after the Israeli government cut off all food and aid into the Strip.

Most of the population has been displaced by the brutal offensive, and over 80 percent of buildings in the enclave have either been totally destroyed or are damaged. The war has been determined to be a genocide by leading rights groups, including Amnesty International.

"Kim Kardashian’s brand is expanding into the Israeli market even as Israel stands accused of genocide in Gaza — and while many public figures are refusing to do business with Israel or are openly supporting BDS actions. As of now, SKIMS has made no public statement condemning Israel’s atrocities or mass civilian targeting," one post on social media platform X read.

"I don’t know how many ways that she can show she's a terrible person for people to boycott her and that whole family," another wrote.

"The worst kind of grifter…drinking blood," one social media user added.

Others called for the brand to be added to the official Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions list.

Kardashian received a barrage of criticism in October 2023 after Israel launched its war on Gaza, after saying she was "praying for everyone in Israel".

According to Israeli media, Kardashian later deleted the post and issued another statement on her personal blog, reading: "I want to own up to and explain that earlier today I sent out two tweets about saying prayers for the people in Palestine and Israel and after hearing from my followers, I decided to take down the tweets because some people were offended and hurt by what I said, and for that I apologise."

The calls for a boycott of SKIMS come as Israel is continuing to restrict vital aid into the enclave, with NGOs saying they have been "blocked" from distributing vital aid.