Violent pro-Hamas video game blocked in Australia

A pro-Hamas video game, that promotes terrorism and antisemitism, has been blocked from access in Australia.

The game, named Toofan al-Aqsa, along with another game called Sound of Silence, faced calls for banning amid concerns over their potential to incite violence against Jews.

Toofan al-Aqsa, released on the site late last month, was freely available for download and promoted as a "shooter game about protecting Al-Aqsa and Palestine."

Al-Aqsa, located in Jerusalem, Israel, holds significant religious importance for Muslims and is situated on a site sacred to Jews.

The game's description on the site encouraged players to "kill the enemies faster" with the goal of freeing Palestine.

A trailer for the game depicted violent scenes of shooting Israeli soldiers outside the mosque.

Sound of Silence, though not yet released, was described on the site as a game where the protagonist, Jihad, attempts to rescue his sister from Israeli airstrikes.

The developer of another controversial game, Fursan al-Aqsa, extended congratulations to the makers of Sound of Silence on their Steam page, expressing support for such games in the industry.

Chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission, Dr. Dvir Abramovich, condemned the games, labelling them as tools for radicalisation and incitement to violence. He expressed concerns that such content could lead to real-life harm, including abuse or assaults against Jewish individuals in Australia.

Nidal Nijm, the developer of Fursan al-Aqsa, defended his work, claiming that the goal of the game was resistance against oppression, not the promotion of violence against Jews.

Steam, the US-based gaming website hosting these games, has more than 21 million accounts worldwide, with over 2 million in Australia. Following media inquiries, the Australian government reached out to remind Steam of its obligations under the National Classification Scheme.

As a result, Toofan al-Aqsa has been blocked in Australia, while Sound of Silence remains advertised but unreleased.

Rebel News

Staff

Articles written by staff at Rebel News to help tell the other side of the story. 

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