Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem have written an open letter to denounce Israel's attacks on Gaza as "genocide."
The husband and wife penned the note with director Pedro Almodovar, and Spanish stars Montxo Armendariz, Benito Zambrano, Lola Herrera, Eduardo Noriega, Rosa Maria Sarda, Amaral and Nacho Campillo also signed.
The letter calls upon the European Union to "condemn the bombing by land, sea and air against the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip," and demands a cease-fire by the Israeli army. It urges Israel to "lift the blockade, which the Gaza Strip has suffered for more than a decade," and "open border crossings to facilitate the mobility of the population, the entry of medical equipment, medicines and food."
Nearly 1,100 Palestinians and 56 Israelis have died since the Israeli military began bombing Gaza in early July. The entertainers blame the renewed violence on Israel, and say the country "continues to advance into and invade the Palestinian territories instead of returning to the 1967 borders."
Bardem is known for his political activism, and frequently addresses world events. He and Cruz have been married since 2010, and have two children together, son Leo and daughter Luna. The actor will star in The Gunman in 2015, while Cruz is scheduled for Spanish film Ma ma later this year.