Bomb Gaza – a game on Google Play was removed after complaints

An Android game which allows gamers to carry out airstrikes on Gaza has drawn criticism and anger today. The game, which has since been withdrawn from Google Play, is called Bomb Gaza, and was released on July 29.

Online, users have described it as “disgusting,” “shameful” and simply “sick” – especially in the light of the horror stories coming out of Gaza as Israel continues its Protective Edge land invasion, now in its 30th day, which has so far left 1,865 Palestinians dead and more than 9,500 injured (Source: Palestine Health Ministry spokesman Dr Ashraf Alqedra's Facebook page).

All day, netizens pushed for removing the offensive game.

Occupied Palestine urges his 29.9K followers to flag the game:

Another sick game available for download on @GooglePlay . Flag and demand Google takes it down! pic.twitter.com/BRN6LMNKLO | #GenocideInGaza

— occupiedpalestine (@occpal) August 4, 2014

Aysha asks them to report it:

Can everyone who has an android phone please report this! #Gaza #GazaUnderAttack #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/EeT3PtgApY

— #FreePalestine (@ayshaaaaaaa_) August 4, 2014

And journalist Rania Khalek tells her 45.8K followers:

Games for download at Google App Store: Bomb Gaza, Whack the Hamas & Gaza Assault: Code Red http://t.co/yeztAMn85P Bc genocide is a game!

— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) August 4, 2014

The game has since been removed.

Palestinian Omar Ghraieb, from Gaza, asks his readers to remain vigilant for other such games online:

#bombGaza removed. Peeps plz keep on the look out 4 similar games on .@android, @AppStore, Nokia world & Microsoft store 2 get them removed.

— Omar Ghraieb (@Omar_Gaza) August 4, 2014

Since Israel launched a massive offensive against the 40-kilometer long coastal strip on July 8, more than 6,780 have been injured. Israel has bombed schools, a playground, hospitals, shelters and refugee camps. Three in four people killed in Gaza were civilians. On July 28, Israel attacked the only power plant in Gaza, plunging the congested strip of 1.8 million people into darkness. As Israel forces bombs residential neighborhoods, tens of thousands have been made homeless and are forced to take refuge in makeshift shelters.

This is Israel's third military operation in Gaza in six years. Excessive restrictions from Israel in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank is why most of the world and the United Nations considers this territory “occupied” by Israel.

Follow our in-depth coverage: #Gaza: Civilian Death Toll Mounts in Israeli Offensive