'History is watching': Hollywood actors call on Biden to push for Israel-Gaza truce

Dozens of Hollywood actors and artists, including comedian Jon Stewart and Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix, have written to US President Joe Biden, urging him to press for a ceasefire in Israel and besieged Gaza.

"We urge your administration, and all world leaders, to honour all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay — an end to the bombing of Gaza, and the safe release of hostages," the celebrities wrote to Biden on Friday.

"We refuse to tell future generations the story of our silence, that we stood by and did nothing. As [UN] Emergency Relief Chief Martin Griffiths told UN News, "History is watching", they said in the letter, citing Griffiths' comment on Monday.

The nearly 60 signatories included Susan Sarandon, Kristen Stewart, Quinta Brunson, Ramy Youssef, Riz Ahmed and Mahershala Ali, among others.

"Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them [Gaza residents]," the letter said.

"Half of Gaza's two million residents are children, and more than two thirds are refugees and their descendants being forced to flee their homes. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them," it said.

"As of this writing more than 6,000 bombs have been dropped on Gaza in the last 12 days — resulting in one child being killed every 15 minutes."

Since Hamas' surprise operation on October 7, Israel has bombed Gaza and killed over 4,100 Palestinians, including 1,000 children, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Biden on Friday said he believed that trucks carrying aid would get through to Gaza in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Israel's bombardment of Gaza, a 45-kilometre-long coastal enclave, has created dire conditions for the 2.3 million people living there under blockade since 2007.