TEHRAN – Iran's Cinema Organization released a statement on Wednesday, denouncing the brutal massacre of innocent individuals in Gaza and Palestine by the oppressive Zionist regime. Parts of the statement read as follows:

“Once again, we are confronted with deeply disturbing scenes of a tragic human slaughter, images that will forever leave a mark in the history and haunt the minds and conscience of free individuals.

As we, the world and the cinema, bear witness to frames that lack the weight of such bitter tragedy and darkness, we cannot help but feel a profound sense of shame. These frames have failed to serve as a guiding compass for future generations, leaving us questioning our collective responsibility.

Gaza, the oppressed and displaced, is once again engulfed in destruction, victim to the greed of opportunistic predators in modern history. In this heart-wrenching tragedy, innocent children, women, and the elderly are drowning in their own blood, while the soil reeks of bloodshed and gunpowder.

This is not a moment for indecisiveness. The awaken consciences have come forward to take action. Art and artists undoubtedly stand at the forefront of this abyss, serving as a beacon of protection, honor, and a testament to humanity's dignity.

To turn a blind eye to this immense brutality is a grave crime. There is no doubt that history will etch everything into its memory, and those who had the ability to write, depict, and raise their voices in defense of innocent children and women, yet chose to remain silent within their ivory towers, will not fade into oblivion. Their inaction will be remembered.

Today, the moment has arrived for intellectuals, artists, and filmmakers from Iran and across the globe to make a conscious choice and align themselves with the righteous path of history. They must not forget the solemn oath they have taken with their pens and art, to fulfill their profound human mission. It is imperative that they refuse to let the voices of the oppressed be silenced, and that they refuse to let the cries and whispers of unarmed children and women in Gaza and Palestine fade away amidst the towering pyramids of smoke and explosions.

The time has indeed arrived for filmmakers and artists worldwide to honor their commitment and become the storytellers of the tormented souls of the oppressed children in Palestine and Gaza. They have the power to bring these stories to life on the screens of cinema and through powerful imagery, shedding light on the plight of the innocent and giving voice to those who have been silenced for far too long.”

The Hamas resistance movement launched a large-scale attack dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm against Israel on Saturday. The group said the offensive happened in response to Israel’s repeated violence against Palestinians and the desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. 

Israeli settlers accompanied by the regime’s armed forces stormed the compound several times in the past year, assaulting Palestinian worshippers in a move that has been seen as a big provocation. 

Israel has responded to Hamas’s operation by raining missiles and bombs on mostly civilian sites in the Gaza Strip. Almost 800 Palestinians have so far been slaughtered with women and children among the dead. The regime has targeted residential buildings, schools, hospitals, mosques and the besieged enclave’s infrastructure. 

That’s while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the regime’s ongoing attacks on Gaza "will be remembered by Hamas and Israel’s other enemies for decades to come". Some analysts have raised concerns that Netanyahu might be thinking of committing a genocide of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip.

SAB/