Zara pulls ad following complaints of Israel-Hamas imagery

Zara has pulled an ad following complaints that it contained pictures resembling images from the Israel-Hamas war.

The company said it regretted a “misunderstanding” about the pictures, after some customers “saw in them something far from what was intended when they were created”.

One image showed a model holding a mannequin wrapped in what appeared to be white plastic.

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority said it had received 110 complaints that the ad’s imagery referenced the current Israel-Hamas conflict and was offensive.

The watchdog said it was reviewing the complaints but was not currently investigating the ad.

Zara said the campaign, advertising its Atelier line, was “conceived in July and photographed in September”.

Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people. Israel launched retaliatory attacks, which the Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory says has killed more than 17,700 Palestinians in Gaza, around two-thirds of them women and children.

Zara’s campaign – called The Jacket – contained a series of images in which the model was pictured against a background of cracked stones, damaged statues and broken plasterboard.

Zara said the campaign presented “a series of images of unfinished sculptures in a sculptor’s studio and was created with the sole purpose of showcasing craft-made garments in an artistic context”.

However, some viewers suggested they were similar to images emerging from Gaza.

Zara said: “Unfortunately, some customers felt offended by these images, which have now been removed, and saw in them something far from what was intended when they were created.

“Zara regrets that misunderstanding and we reaffirm our deep respect towards everyone.”