Actor David Schwimmer, known for his role as Ross Gellar in the sitcom “Friends,” slammed people who have continued to deny Hamas’ sexual violence atrocities.
In an Instagram post on Friday, Schwimmer posted a screenshot of a recent article from The New York Times sharing eyewitness accounts regarding Hamas terrorists raping and killing Israeli women. Schwimmer questioned why people “refuse to believe” the sexual violence carried out by Hamas despite “all the evidence on camera and in testimony.”
In addition to playing the character of Ross Gellar, who is Jewish, Schwimmer is Jewish in real life.
“I served on the Board of Directors for the Rape Foundation for almost 20 years, and have been an advocate for child and adult survivors of sexual violence for almost 30,” Schwimmer wrote in his post.
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“I have met the most incredible and courageous people in my life through this work,” Schwimmer added. “Children, teens, men and women, who not only survived the most horrific conditions imaginable – but, with the right treatment and care, refused to let their trauma define them and went on to lead incredibly loving, healthy and productive lives.”
Schwimmer continued to point out that over the course of his career helping survivors of sexual violence, he had found that being “BELIEVED” is a “crucial aspect” of the healing process.
“Regardless of age, regardless of race, regardless of gender, regardless of religion, regardless of sexual orientation, regardless of nationality, regardless of education, regardless of economic status,” Schwimmer added.
While Schwimmer credited many “organizations and individuals” who have “stood up and fought for survivors of rape and sexual assault,” he questioned why “so many REFUSE TO BELIEVE” Hamas carried out these atrocities on Oct. 7, despite the mounting evidence and testimony saying otherwise.
“Where is their outrage?” Schwimmer wrote. “In the weeks and months that followed, it became clear that their activism, their advocacy, is conditional. They’ll fight like hell for ALL victims of sexual violence – unless they’re Jews.”
Schwimmer added that he hoped reading the article from The Times would “make them realize they got it wrong.”
“As they know better than most – their refusal to believe the survivors has RE-TRAUMATIZED them, as well as their families, friends, and those of us who did believe them,” Schwimmer wrote. “But they can use their voice now. And it would be great to know who the real allies are.”
The actor was among several celebrities such as Patricia Heaton from “Everybody Loves Raymond” and Charisma Carpenter from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” who came out against university presidents who failed to call out antisemitism.