Ms Rachel 'will risk career' to speak out for Gaza's children

Rachel Griffin Accurso, known to millions worldwide as Ms Rachel, the beloved children's entertainer and educator, says she is prepared to risk her career to keep raising awareness about the plight of children suffering due to Israeli bombardment in the war on Gaza.

In a recent interview with Boston public radio station WBUR, Ms Rachel revealed she had faced pushback for speaking out on the crisis in Gaza, where more than 50,000 children were killed or injured by Israel's indiscriminate attacks. The enclave, where half the population is under 18, remains under a strict siege with very limited entry of food, medicine, or fuel.

Despite the criticism, Ms Rachel on Tuesday vowed to continue advocating for Palestinian children's safety.

"I wouldn't be Ms Rachel if I didn’t deeply care about all kids," she said. "I will risk everything, and I will risk my career over and over to stand up for them. It's all about the kids for me."

The UN has described Gaza as "the hungriest place on Earth", warning that the territory's entire population is at risk of famine.

Using her platform

Ms Rachel shared that she recently met Palestinian mothers whose children were enduring severe hardship due to life-altering injuries, trauma and starvation. 

"When you sit with a mother who’s FaceTiming her boys in Gaza who don’t have food, and you see that anguish - it really moves you," she said emotionally. "I need to do more. I have a big platform, and I see it as a responsibility."

In April, a US-based pro-Israel organisation called on the attorney general to investigate Ms Rachel for her messages highlighting the suffering of Gaza's children. Ms Rachel has also spoken openly about the bullying she faced after launching a fundraiser supporting children in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Earlier this year, she donated $1 million to World Food Program USA to aid starving populations in conflict zones including Gaza, following US aid cuts.

Recently, Ms Rachel shared a video meeting Rahaf, a three-year-old double amputee evacuated from Gaza. The video, praised by activists and human rights advocates, highlights the devastating effects of Israel’s bombardment and blockade on Gaza’s children. Ms Rachel describes Rahaf’s family’s ongoing struggle, with siblings and her father still trapped under siege.

She called on the international community to end the dehumanisation of Palestinian children and condemned Israel’s obstruction of medical aid as "cruel", urging a total ceasefire.

Ms Rachel's activism has earned widespread support on social media, with many praising her use of a massive platform to speak for Palestinian children amid one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen, with over 61,700 Palestinians killed since October 2023. Amnesty International and other leading rights groups and experts have labelled Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide.