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Read also: Google Drops ‘Bomb Gaza’ App
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Another game that deals with the current conflict in the Gaza Strip designed for mobile devices that use Google’s Android operating system has been dropped by Google’s Android Store. This time it is the Israeli designed Whack the Hamas.
Based on the classic arcade game Whack-a-mole, Whack the Hamas let players try and “whack” Hamas terrorists as they exited terror tunnels and before they had a chance to kill people. The terrorists in the game were designed to look like moles rather than people.
The game was quickly developed in response to Israel’s current Protective Shield operation in the Gaza Strip.
It stated in its instructions, “The Hamasites are coming out of their tunnels! Don’t let them escape, otherwise they will hurt innocent civilians!”
Whack the Hamas was developed by HitsNapp, an Israeli company whose page on Google Play is now blank. Its management says that Google did not even bother to inform them of the move beforehand.
The game’s designers posted the following statement on its Facebook page: “Google has taken our game down! They claim its “Hate speech”! First of all: our app contains no speech! How can it contain Hate Speech? it is just a “Whack-a-mole” with terrorists instead of moles! Our app doesn’t advocate for any type of violence, against groups of people based anything! be it on their race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation/gender identity. It only for fun and relaxation, for the people who are being killed every day by a terrorist group!”
“This is only due to a group of terrorists trying to take us down!
“We will fight for our rights!
“Please join our fight and share this post and page everywhere!”
Google also removed several other pro=Israeli games this week form its service including Bomb Gaza. That game let users pretend to be Israeli air force pilots engaging in bombing missions over the Gaza strip. Code Red, in which players can pretend to be piloting Israeli drones as they bomb Arab targets was also pulled.
Google has been even handed in its policies, however. An Arab made game called “Rocket Pride” in which the player shoots rockets at Israel from Gaza is no longer to be found on Android Play Store.
