TEHRAN- The 42nd edition of Fajr International Theater Festival will dedicate a special section to Gaza, the organizers have announced.

The section will feature productions centered around the resistance of the Palestinian people, IRNA quoted Mehdi Hamed Saqaian the secretary of the event as saying on Tuesday. 

“Given the importance of the Palestinian resistance and recent events in Gaza, special attention will be given to the diverse works that have arrived in different sections of the festival with this theme,” he added. 

"In the various sections of this year's festival, including the stage, street, student, playwriting, and radio theater sections, works centered around Palestine and Gaza have been introduced, which will also be present in the special Gaza section after going through the festival's selection process,” he explained. 

The 42nd edition of Fajr International Theater Festival is scheduled to be held in the Iranian capital from January 13 to February 1, 2024. 

On October 7, Israel started a deadly war on Gaza after the territory’s Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, launched a surprise retaliation strike against the occupying regime, codenamed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

The Israeli regime's offensive has claimed the lives of nearly 18,000 individuals in Gaza, with a significant majority being women and children. Furthermore, over 49,000 people have suffered injuries as a result.

Israeli officials, including the prime minister, have made public statements endorsing or pledging to carry out acts of genocide against Palestinians throughout the course of this conflict. These alarming declarations have raised serious concerns regarding the protection of human rights and the safety of the Palestinian population.

Tel Aviv has also imposed severe restrictions on essential resources such as water, power, and gasoline in one of the world's most densely populated areas. This deprivation has resulted in a scarcity of medical supplies and food, leaving 2.3 million Palestinians at risk of starvation.

SAB/