At the Istanbul Tribunal, American actress Marcia Cross breaks her silence, stating that she "couldn't stay silent" about Gaza following the backlash to the ceasefire.

Actress Marcia Cross of the United States has spoken out at the Istanbul Tribunal about her divisive position on Gaza. Cross said during her presentation that she "couldn’t stay silent" after receiving a lot of negative feedback for calling for a truce in the ongoing fighting in Gaza.

After calling for an urgent ceasefire and asking all sides of the war to de-escalate and prioritize peace talks, the actress, who is best known for her role in Desperate Housewives, came under heavy fire. Pro-Israel advocates in particular strongly objected to her statement, accusing her of adopting a biased attitude.

Cross gave an explanation for her decision to come out at the Istanbul Tribunal, a forum devoted to human rights and international justice. She underlined that her stance sprang from a profound concern for the lives lost on both sides as well as the terrible humanitarian effects of the fighting. "I couldn’t stay silent," she said. "When innocent lives are at stake, silence feels like complicity."

Many people in the world community who have been advocating for a peaceful solution to the Gaza conflict found resonance in her remarks. Her comments have generated more discussion, but they also show how public leaders are under increasing pressure to speak out on geopolitical concerns, especially during times of global crises.

Cross's attendance at the tribunal represents a turning point in her support of human rights, and although her remarks continue to spark contentious debates, they have also fueled a continuing discussion about the role that public leaders have in resolving global disputes.