Kenyan content creator Elodie Zone has voiced her disappointment with artistes and influencers who recently went on a fully sponsored trip to Israel while the war in Gaza continues.

In a statement on her TikTok account on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, Zone expressed her displeasure that many of the celebrities she once admired appeared to be publicly supporting Israel while posting content about the trip.

She argued that their use of Kenyan currency to participate in a joyful, sponsored experience came across as insensitive, especially at a time when the same resources could indirectly be connected to the suffering of families in Gaza.

“Sad… so many faces that I once loved. All supporting Israel. All bringing up Jesus and the bible on social media, knowing very well that they are spending the same Kenyan currency that will be used to take the life of a family in Gaza tomorrow,” Elodie Zone stated.

Her remarks come as a wave of criticism from netizens who have condemned the influencers for accepting the trip, arguing that it made them appear as though they were helping a powerful state improve its global image.

Among the celebrities facing backlash are Kambua, Kestin Mbogo, Caleb Karuga, Mwende Macharia, Gadwilliam Kiragu, Mimo Karanja, Sim Simmer, and Evelyne Wanjiru.

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Gospel artiste and media personality Kambua described her visit to Jerusalem on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, as life-changing. She toured Golgotha, the Tomb of Jesus, and the Old City, saying the trip made the Bible come alive for her. Her posts, however, received mixed reactions from Kenyans online.

“I got the most amazing opportunity to visit Israel with some of my great friends and servants of God. Mum was so excited for me as she knew the desire I had to walk exactly where Jesus walked! I enjoyed every single moment as the Bible that I oh so love came very much alive to me. Day one was simply amazing. We got to visit the beautiful Old city of Jerusalem, Golgotha, the stone where they prepared Jesus’s body before burying Him, and the Tomb where they buried Jesus… I’m so so grateful to Jesus for salvation, He endured too much for me,” Kambua wrote.

Evelyn Wanjiru focused on Kibbutz Kalia in Israel’s desert, visiting dairy farms, date plantations, and crop fields. She praised the mix of innovation and resilience she observed.

“We had an incredible time exploring Kibbutz Kalia in Israel, in the desert region of the Dead Sea, from the expansive dairy farm to the lush date plantations and thriving crop fields. What a beautiful blend of innovation, resilience, and life flourishing in the desert!” Wanjiru shared.

Comedian Gadwilliam Kiragu called his time in Jerusalem unforgettable.

“A journey through the Holy City… something I’ll carry with me forever,” Kiragu wrote.

Radio Jambo presenter Mwende Macharia met Chen Malka, a survivor of the 2023 Nova Festival terrorist attack in Israel that killed 400 people. She urged her followers to hear Malka’s story of resilience.

“It was great meeting Chen Malka, a survivor from the Nova Festival that happened on October 7th, 2023, a terrorist attack in Israel where 400 party-goers lost their lives. She remains resilient and confident even as she shares this heartbreaking story of her life. Jump on my Insta stories and listen as she narrates the events of that day that changed the very course of her life,” Macharia shared.

The trip, which was fully funded, allowed the artistes to visit historical and spiritual sites in Israel. However, many Kenyans have argued that posting sponsored, joyful content during an ongoing conflict seemed insensitive and tone-deaf.