Riz Ahmed on Twitter: “We are told there are two sides to what is happening in Israel and Palestine. But in my heart, I know there is only one — the side of our humanity.

“What happened in Israel last week was horrific and wrong. The pain and fear so many are feeling is deep and real. [And] what’s happening in Gaza now, and [which] has been happening in Palestine under the Occupation for decades, is horrific and wrong. The depth and reality of this suffering cannot be ignored.

“If we look only in one direction, we will go even deeper into darkness. But that is exactly what is happening right now. We are being asked to look away while the civilians of Gaza, half of them children, are running out of time.

“If we are on the side of humanity we must urgently speak up to try and avert the loss of innocent life. This means calling for an end to the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza’s civilians and vital infrastructure, the denial of food, water and electricity, the forced displacement of people from their homes. These are morally indefensible war crimes.”

Ahmed’s manager should gave taken him aside and said, “In the current climate and particularly since Hamas militants massacred 1200 Israelis in their homes ten days ago, you can’t say that bad things have been happening in Palestine under the Israeli Occupation for decades. It doesn’t matter if it’s true — it’s just something you can’t say now.”