French News Letter Reaps Criticism For Cartoons That Starve Gazans In Ramadan

Refugees in Gaza queue for food. (Source: UNRWA/Ashraf Amra)

JAKARTA - A cartoon depicting Palestinian hunger in the Gaza Strip during the Holy Month of Ramadan, published in the French daily Liberation, sparked outrage on social media, calling it mocking the 'genocide' of Israeli troops in the trapped enclave.

The cartoon entitled "Ramadhan in Gaza Beginning of the Month of Fasting" is drawn by Corinthians Rey, a former well-known satirical magazine cartoonist, Charlie Hebdo, quoted from Middle East Monitor March 13,

The cartoon depicts a destroyed city in the background and a hand sticking out of the rubble, while a man walking out after two rats and insects on the road.

A woman sits on the street with a starving boy beside her and angrily warns the man who was running, saying, "Don't go before sunset," referring to the fasting service of Muslims in the month of Ramadan.

Social media users leave angry comments under Liberation's posts on social media X, expressing their anger at the cartoon mocking genocide.

France’s left-wing newspaper Liberation publishes a cartoon mocking Muslims in Gaza, who are being starved to death by Israel. pic.twitter.com/eWQCmrRjxd

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) March 11, 2024

France's left-wing newspaper Liberation public a cartoon mock Muslims in Gaza, who are being starved to death by Israel. pic.twitter.com/eWQCmrRjxd

Many users believe the cartoon clearly mocks Gazans, who are losing their basic needs and humanitarian aid, thus making them starving.

While critics argue, the cartoon underestimates the harsh reality faced by Gazans where they are on the verge of starvation, quoted by Turkishye Newspaper.

Social media users questioned the selective focus of the cartoon and wondered why similar artistic comments were not made during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

The war that broke out in Gaza on October 7 has left tens of thousands of people dead and injured, forcing 85 percent of the population to flee, exacerbated by a blockade that limits access to essential resources.

The United Nations reports that 60 percent of infrastructure in the enclave region is damaged or destroyed. The United Nations estimates that a quarter of the 2.3 million residents in the small coastal area are now at risk of starvation.

Gaza's Ministry of Health said the number of Palestinians who died from dehydration and malnutrition in the past two weeks reached 27 people, following the deaths of two people on Tuesday.