Children’s entertainer Rachel Accurso, known as Ms Rachel, announced she will match a $1 million donation made by rapper Macklemore to organizations supporting Palestinians. The donation comes amid ongoing conflict in Gaza and follows Macklemore’s recent removal as the opening act on Ed Sheeran’s tour after remarks supporting Palestine.

Macklemore pledged to donate all his earnings from Sheeran’s tour to groups aiding Palestinians. The rapper’s activism gained attention after he called out “Free Palestine” during a concert at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on September 4, a statement that drew both support and criticism. Accurso, who has more than 21 million YouTube subscribers and is known for her work creating content for children, confirmed on Instagram that her contribution will go to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. She cited the deaths of over 20,000 Palestinian children amid the conflict and urged other prominent figures, particularly “wealthy white celebrities,” to join in matching the donations.

In her message, Accurso emphasized the moral responsibility to leverage public platforms to protect children and uphold human rights. She has been vocal about the impact of the war in Gaza on young people and used her social media presence to raise awareness.

Macklemore’s public support for Palestine sparked a backlash, including calls for his removal from the tour by some Israel-aligned groups and fellow artists. Singer Pink publicly supported his removal, referencing a past controversy in 2014 involving Macklemore wearing a costume criticized for resembling a Jewish caricature—a gesture for which he issued an apology at the time.

Ed Sheeran addressed the controversy in an Instagram post, stating that although he chooses not to publicly discuss his personal views on the conflict, it does not mean he is indifferent or unsupportive of humanitarian causes. He reaffirmed that he privately supports causes in his own way but did not elaborate further.

The donations and public statements highlight the continuing tension among artists and public figures concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as the broader debate over activism and free speech within the entertainment industry.