‘Speak now’: Taylor Swift faces pressure from Palestinian flag waving fans in Madrid demanding to know her stance on Israel-Hamas conflict after months of speculation

Taylor Swift is facing pressure from fans to ‘speak now’ about the bloodshed in Gaza, with concertgoers bringing Palestinian flags to her sold-out performance in Madrid.

Members of the star’s fanbase have started the hashtag ‘SwiftiesForPalestine’ as they urge the singer to break her silence on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Many have shared an open letter calling on the singer to condemn the Israeli attacks on Rafah, which killed 45 Palestinians, including women and children, in a tent camp fire on Sunday.

Airstrikes on the area, which was designated a safe zone by Israel, sparked global condemnation, with celebrities including pop star Dua Lipa sharing a viral ‘All Eyes On Rafah’ post on their Instagram.

Swift’s longtime producer Jack Antonoff also posted the image, while the band Paramore, who are currently opening for Swift on her Era’s Tour, called on fans to support Gaza, adding to the pressure on the musician to comment.

American singer Taylor Swift performs on stage on the occasion of her ‘The Eras Tour’ concert at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, May 29, 2024

A banner brought to the show by fans read “Taylor, take a stand!” with the hashtag SwiftiesForPalestine

A photo reportedly shows a fan hanging a Palestinian flag over the balcony during her show in Madrid

Ahead of opening for Swift in Madrid, Paramore called on their fans to donate to Doctors Without Borders, highlighting the work the organization is doing in Gaza.

The band wrote on their Instagram Story: “We do not believe that supporting our Palestinian friends and family equals anti-Semitism.

“We love our Jewish friends and family and pray for the safe return of the remaining hostages.

“That said, we simply cannot support a genocide. We stand in solidarity with those calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”

Swift, known for hits such as Cruel Summer and Blank Space, is labeled as one of the world’s ‘most powerful women’.

She has 283 million followers on Instagram, with politicians calling for her support, which could have a major impact in the upcoming US elections.

As a 22-year-old early in her career, Swift said she would not speak out on political issues.

“I follow it and I try to keep myself as educated and informed as I can. But I don’t talk about politics because it might influence other people. And I don’t think I know enough yet in my life to tell people who to vote for,” she told Time Magazine in 2012.

She subsequently faced backlash for not being involved in major political moments in the US, such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2016 presidential election.

Pictured: Paramore’s Hayley Williams opens for Taylor Swift in Madrid

Paramore, who is currently opening for Swift on her Era’s Tour, called on fans to support Gaza, increasing pressure on the musician to also comment

But she broke her rule when she made public her anti-Donald Trump stance and her support for Democrats ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.

She supported Joe Biden in the 2020 election and called on her fans to make their voices heard and vote.

“This is something that I know is right… I have to be on the right side of history,” Swift said as she explained why she wanted to share her political views in the 2020 Netflix documentary Miss Americana.

But Swift has failed to express her support for Biden in the upcoming election, and has since remained silent on major political issues.

A concertgoer in a glittery dress held up a sign saying ‘speak now’ with a watermelon – a symbol of Palestinian solidarity

Now she faces increasing pressure to voice her views on the conflict in Gaza, which erupted after Hamas crossed the border into Israel on October 7.

Israel previously urged Swift to speak out about the October 7 attacks, stressing that one of the victims, 19-year-old Roni Eshel, was a “huge Swiftie.”

It was initially believed that the teenager, an army spotter, had been taken to Gaza, but it was later confirmed that he was dead.

Terrorists killed about 1,200 Israelis and took about 250 people hostage during their rampage.

Israel’s brutal retaliation, which it says targets Hamas, has killed more than 36,000 people in Gaza, according to the enclave’s health ministry.