Fursan al-Aqsa: The Knights of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, released in 2022, lets gamers play as the fictional character “Ahmad al-Falastini,” a young Palestinian student, as he takes revenge on Israeli soldiers who tortured him and killed his family. An updated version of the game called Operation al-Aqsa Flood, the name Hamas uses for its October 7, 2023 attack, was released on Steam earlier this month.
Nijm, who identifies as a Muslim Brazilian, said that his game was intended to be a political protest and was not affiliated with any specific Palestinian group.
“I tried to show that we Palestinians have rights to resist against Israeli occupation and the genocide we clearly see [on] a daily basis on the news. But I also like to always stay ‘under the thin red line’ between freedom of speech and ‘terrorist propaganda,’” Nijm told Al Jazeera.
Operation al-Aqsa Flood’s cut scene was intended to be provocative and “to ‘trigger’ Zionists”, Nim said, but the gameplay itself is more toned down, with players immediately failing if they shoot unarmed civilians.
“I do not blame Valve nor Steam; the blame is on the UK government and authorities that are pissed off by a video game. On their flawed logic, the most recent Call of Duty Black Ops 6 should be banned, as well,” he said.
“As you play as an American soldier and go to Iraq to kill Iraqi people. What I can say is that we see clearly the double standards.”
I don’t partake in first person shooters but, the message is clear with this. I appreciate the parallel draw to the call of duty game.
Ok, regardless of the actual politics, this game had literally nothing to do with the Oct 7 attack given that it was written in fucking 2022. We might as well ban the 2012 movie because things really did start going to shit after 2012.
It did, the updated version had a mission called Al Aqsa flood
An updated version of the game called Operation al-Aqsa Flood, the name Hamas uses for its October 7, 2023 attack, was released on Steam earlier this month.
It is similar to American military games in the middle east. Except instead of stealing oil you defend your homeland.
