Macklemore
L-R: Macklemore, Ms Rachel, and Bella Hadid all put money or their platforms behind Gaza relief during 2026's celebrity donation split Instagram

Ms Rachel has turned a celebrity donation race into open conflict, matching Macklemore's $1 million (£740,000) Gaza pledge on Thursday and daring every wealthy star to follow her lead with matching gifts, after his removal from Ed Sheeran's US tour split the music world.

In 2026, backing Gaza relief has become a line in the sand for Hollywood, splitting stars into rival camps of donors, walkouts, and fundraisers. Macklemore's onstage 'free Palestine' speech drew condemnation from the Anti-Defamation League and a petition from the Israeli-American Council, yet it also triggered a wave of solidarity. Here is the full list of 12 celebrities who put money or their careers on the line for the cause this year.

The Million-Dollar Pledges

This week's flashpoint produced the year's biggest single cheques.

  • Macklemore gave the entire $1 million (£740,000) he earned opening Sheeran's Loop Tour to six Palestinian aid groups after venues forced him off the bill. The Seattle rapper said he had 'lost endorsements' over his stance but stayed 'unwavering'.
  • Ms Rachel, real name Rachel Accurso, matched him with $1 million to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund and urged 'every wealthy white celebrity' to do the same.
  • Robert Kraft, the New England Patriots owner who barred Macklemore from Gillette Stadium, pledged $2 million (£1.5 million) to 'aid in the region', framing it as building bridges. He did not name Palestinian groups.
  • Ed Sheeran has not confirmed a donation. Kraft said the singer asked him to match $2 million in regional aid.
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The Acts Who Walked Out

Four supporting acts gave up paid slots on one of 2026's highest-grossing tours in solidarity.

  • Finneas, Billie Eilish's brother, quit his upcoming Sheeran dates, writing that 'artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed'.
  • Aaron Rowe, the Irish singer lined up to replace Macklemore, was the first to withdraw, citing Ireland's history of famine and occupation.
  • Lukas Graham, the Danish band behind '7 Years', also dropped out after being tapped as a Macklemore replacement.
  • Beoga, Sheeran's Irish backing band, left the tour, refusing to play venues that 'silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine'.

The Benefit That Raised Millions

The year's tone was set in January, months before the tour row erupted.

  • Bella Hadid, the Palestinian American model, co-hosted the Artists for Aid concert in Los Angeles on 10 January.
  • Pedro Pascal co-hosted the same night, having signed an open letter criticising the film industry's silence.
  • Mustafa, the Sudanese Canadian poet, organised the concert, the third edition of his Artists for Aid series.
  • Shawn Mendes headlined the show, which raised more than $5.5 million (£4.1 million) for Palestinian and Sudanese relief.

The clash traces back to two shows at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where Macklemore shouted 'free Palestine' on 4 and 5 September before venues moved to drop him.

Accurso's public challenge now points squarely at America's richest stars, and Sheeran, who has long kept politics off his stage, faces a tour stripped of its openers and a fanbase split over his silence.

Whether America's A-list answers her call, or stays silent like Sheeran, is now the question dividing the industry.

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