Google, Facebook remove 'Bomb Gaza' game after public backlash

Google Inc. and Facebook have dropped the ‘Bomb Gaza’ online gaming app following a public outcry, with several people taking to social media calling it ‘despicable’ and ‘disgusting’.

The mobile game, which was available for download on Google Play, simulated Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, inviting gamers to ‘drop bombs and avoid killing civilians’ by manning a fighter jet and dodging missiles from Hamas fighters in black and green masks.

An updated version to the game also added Israeli theme music to the sound effects.

In a statement to Reuters, a spokesperson for Google confirmed the game has been removed saying: “We remove apps from Google Play that violate our policies.”

Google did not specify which policy the game had violated.

Meanwhile, Facebook has also removed the ‘Bomb Gaza’ app, albeit a community page for developers PlayFTW still exists, peppered with users stating their outrage over the game.

Carly Hassan Ali Madden wrote: “This is disgusting and sick! What is wrong with you people? You need to become human and understand that this, no matter the nationality, is wrong on a human level.”

Mark LeVine wrote: “My only hope is to find you on the wrong end of one of these bombs. If my son or daughter had come across this and downloaded it and been subjected to this, you would not have found a place deep enough to hide.”

Fabian Alsultany said: “It’s impressive to me that in this moment of history a company would release a game called Bomb Gaza... Before you suffer any further embarrassment and your family learns what you are focusing your attention on, I would suggest you delete this page and start another company. Your creative intentions have just bombed your company.”

Incidentally, this is not the first app on Google Play that makes light of the ongoing conflict, with the company also removing a second game, titled ‘Gaza Assault: Code Red’, which tells you to ‘Take control of an Israeli UAV equipped with powerful weapons in an attempt to secure the region’.

This game has also been removed from Google Play.

Since the start of the most recent Israeli offensive on Gaza on July 8, officials state more than 1,831 Palestinians have lost their lives, 300 of them children.
 

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