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International singer and songwriter Alicia Keys recently found herself in the midst of controversy when some social media users accused her of supporting Hamas amid the recent unrest in Israel. The acclaimed artist has since addressed the allegations and clarified the intentions behind her post.

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In a statement shared via her Instagram story, the "If I Ain't Got You" hitmaker made it unequivocally clear that her Instagram photo was in no way related to the recent events and loss of innocent lives in the Middle East. Keys expressed her profound sorrow over the ongoing situation and affirmed her commitment to peace. She emphasised, "My heart has been breaking.... I pray for and stand for peace."

The controversy began when Alicia Keys posted a photograph of herself wearing a green leather racing jacket with black and white highlights, colours that some believed resembled the black, white, green, and red seen on the Palestinian flag.

In the post's caption, she engaged with her followers, asking, "What would u do if you weren't afraid of anything??? Tell me your truth... I've had my eyes on paragliding."

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Although Keys later removed the post, it had already garnered attention from social media users, some of whom speculated about its meaning and intentions. Certain individuals believed that the singer was sending coded messages to indicate her support for Hamas.

The advocacy group StopAntisemitism posted a screenshot of Keys' controversial post on X (formerly Twitter) and questioned her intentions, insinuating a connection to recent violent events in the region. They wrote, "Is this some sick ode to the Hamas terrorists that infiltrated Israel, killed over 1300 people, beheaded babies, raped women, and kidnapped Holocaust survivors @aliciakeys?" before the singer issued her statement to refute the accusations.

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Notably, music manager Guy Oseary, who was born in Israel, promptly came to Alicia's defence. He shared a photo of himself with the singer on his Instagram account and clarified the situation, reassuring the community concerned by the post. Guy acknowledged the specific word in Keys' post that had caused distress in the context of the ongoing conflict and clarified that it was not connected to the situation. He added that he had spoken with Alicia, who expressed her shock at the word's implication and immediately removed the post.

Guy Oseary further praised Alicia for her ongoing humanitarian work and her dedication to human rights, emphasising her positive influence on the world. He noted that her actions reflect her empathy and compassionate nature.

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