Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Samira Nasr’s issued a mea culpa over her “deeply insensitive and hurtful comments” in calling Israel’s move to cut power to Gaza the “most inhuman thing” she’s “ever seen.”
Nasr, whose comments sparked outrage within the glossy corridors of the Hearst-owned fashion mag, said she was sorry in an Instagram post Thursday.
Her apology came as Hearst executives sent out their own memo distancing the company from the views of the controversial editor and pledged $300,000 to charitable groups in the region.
Sources speculate Nasr’s apology was forced and that she is on thin ice at the company.
“Samira is fighting for her job,” said one Hearst employee, who said the editor has been reaching out personally to Jewish staffers and apologizing.
“She’s eating crow,” the source added.
Neither Hearst nor Nasr responded to requests seeking comment.
Nasr, whose father is Lebanese and whose mother is Trinidadian, wrote on her Instagram Stories Tuesday night: “Cutting off water and electricity to 2.2 million civilians … This is the most inhuman thing I’ve seen in my life.”
Nasr’s message sparked immediate blowback from Hearst staffers and fashion industry insiders still fuming over Hamas terrorists killing more than 1,200 Israelis, many of them children. Israel has called up around 300,000 reservists and is planning to storm Gaza in an effort to free the more than 100 hostages who were taken.
“I want to apologize to my friends, colleagues, and the entire Jewish community for my deeply insensitive and hurtful comments,” Nasr wrote on her Instagram account on Thursday afternoon.
“I have no hate in my heart for any people, and I am not in any way sympathetic to a terrorist group that just murdered thousands of innocent Israeli civilians. I am a firm believer that words matter, and I was careless with mine. My most sincere apologies.”
Hearst Magazines president Debi Chirichella sent out a memo to employees, obtained by The Post, which condemned Nasr’s initial message.
“A recent social media post about the unfolding situation in the Middle East was made by one of our editors,” the exec wrote. “It expressed views that do not represent Hearst’s values and I know that it offended and upset many of our colleagues, partners and readers. We are horrified by the brutality of the terrorist attacks by Hamas and the people of Israel.”
Hearst said it will be donating $300,000 to three separate organizations working on the ground to help people in the region.
Sources told The Post that while Nasr’s apology was welcome, it seemed forced.
“She got in trouble,” a fashion industry source surmised. “That’s a forced apology, but I’ll take it.”
“People need to be held accountable,” offered a Hearst insider. “Nasr always preached she hates cancel culture. Well, now she is about to experience it.”
Actress and writer Jill Kargman, who is the daughter of former Chanel president Arie Kopelman, reposted Nasr’s apology with an avatar of herself and the word “Nope” over it.
The 59-year-old Nasr, who grew up in Montreal, is no stranger to controversy.
In 2021, during a flareup in the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, Nasr posted on Instagram: “One cannot advocate for racial equality, LGBT & women’s rights, condemn corrupt & abusive regimes and other injustices yet choose to ignore the Palestinian oppression. It does not add up. You cannot pick & choose whose human rights matter more.”
At the time, Hearst, which publishes glossies like Elle, Cosmopolitan and Esquire, did not publicly address the Instagram post.
