Veteran Actress Lee Young Ae Takes Humanitarian Action To Support Children In Gaza

Veteran actress Lee Young Ae has publicly taken her stance on the ongoing violence in Gaza through her humanitarian actions. She has reportedly donated a generous amount to aid children affected by the attacks.

On November 21, the Korean Red Cross announced that Lee has contributed around ₩50.0 million KRW (about $38,800 USD) toward the emergency relief efforts for children severely affected in the Gaza Strip.

배우 이영애님이 이스라엘-가자지구 교전으로 피해를 입은 어린이들을 지원하기 위해 기부금 5천만원을 기부해주셨습니다

이영애님께서 전달해주신 성금은 국제적십자운동을 통해 피해지역 아동의 의료지원, 구호품 전달 등 구호활동에 사용될 예정입니다

이영애님은 지난 8월에도 하와이주 마우이섬… pic.twitter.com/E2shoOCo0o

— 대한적십자사(Korean Red Cross) (@KoreanRedCross) November 21, 2023

In her official statement, the actress empathized with those suffering and hoped that her contribution could be of help to those in need.

My heart breaks with the sad news that keeps coming every day. I hope this can be of any help to children across the border who have lost their families and are suffering from painful devastation.

— Lee Young Ae

The donations will be used to send several relief supplies, including medical ones, to children in the affected areas with the help of the International Red Cross Movement.

Though the Israel-Palestine conflict dates back decades, recently, it has gained global attention after the escalating violence in the Gaza Strip as Israel continues with its airstrikes and ground invasion in the area after Hamas attacked them on October 7. According to the report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) on November 20, the recent violence in Gaza has caused significant casualties. The death toll, the report mentioned, is at 11,078 since October 7, and 40.6% of them were children. The loss of life is expected to increase further as the area has been completely cut off from basic necessities like water, food, electricity, and medical supplies, as well as with the continued airstrikes on hospitals.

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At least 5,500 Palestinian children in Gaza have been killed by Israeli bombardment since October 7.

To mark World Children's Day, here's a look at the Palestinian children whose lives are under attack https://t.co/FXIQrLEH5O pic.twitter.com/glw6PoKpLs

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) November 20, 2023

Meanwhile, Lee Young Ae is known for her humanitarian efforts involved in various global causes. She had also donated to assist the Maui Island wildfire victims in Hawaii in August. Some of the other causes she has supported over the years include relief for Guryong Village fire victims, flood relief in Chungcheong, donating for COVID-19 aid, donating to help Ukrainian refugees and her ongoing support for pediatric cancer patients. She also makes an annual donation that contributes to fund education for children of deceased soldiers and Korean war veterans.

Apart from being a well-recognized humanitarian, Lee is also an industry veteran with an entertainment career spanning over 30 years. Some of her most notable performances include the historical K-Drama Dae Jang Geum and the crime thriller movie Sympathy for Lady Vengeance.