Irish rappers Kneecap on Thursday dismissed a call by television presenter Sharon Osbourne to revoke their US work visas, after she accused them of "aggressive" anti-Israel messaging at the Coachella music festival.
"(Our) statements aren't aggressive. Murdering 20,000 children is though," the band, who rap in both the Irish and English languages, said in a statement sent to AFP.
"Or executing 15 medics and burying them and their ambulances," it said, referring to the killing by Israeli troops last month of 15 Palestinian emergency workers in Gaza.
An Israeli military investigation into the incident released on Sunday said "professional failures (and) breaches of orders" led to the killings and a field commander would be dismissed.
The incident drew international condemnation, including concern about possible war crimes from United Nations human rights commissioner Volker Turk.
The war in Gaza followed an attack in Israel by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Israel's military response in Gaza has caused a humanitarian crisis and killed at least 51,355 people, mainly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.
The United Nations considers the figures reliable.
The Belfast-based Kneecap rap trio, who are known for their pro-Palestinian messaging during gigs, performed at California's Coachella, one of the world's highest-profile music festivals, on April 18.
During the gig a big screen displayed the messages "Fuck Israel. Free Palestine" and "Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people."
The group also led the audience in chants of "Free, free Palestine".
One of the trio wore a keffiyeh scarf, a symbol of Palestinian resistance.
Osbourne, the wife of legendary British rocker Ozzy Osbourne, accused them of "hate speech" and "aggressive political statements" and urged the "revocation" of the band's work visa.
The band "turns Coachella into a Hamas fan club", alleged the 72-year-old former judge on the X Factor talent show.
"As someone with both Irish Catholic on my mother's side and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage on my father's side, and extensive experience in the music industry, I understand the complexities involved," she added.
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