A Hamas-themed birthday cake for a four-year-old Australian boy has sparked outrage. Australian politician Chris Minns described the photos as “horrifying.” The cake, featuring an operative surrounded by Palestinian flags, angered many online.
A Sydney bakery designed the cake and proudly posted photos on social media, but has since deleted their accounts following the backlash. The Australian Federal Police are investigating the incident, according to News.com.au.
In the recently shared pictures of the child, he was seen posing next to a large cake decorated with the Palestinian flag and an image of Abu Ubaida, a Hamas spokesperson. The child mimicked the pose, wearing similar attire and a headscarf. The image of the Hamas official also appeared on cupcakes with Palestinian flags.
What the hell is wrong with you Australia? In Sydney, a cafe held a Hamas-themed birthday party for a 4 year old boy! What the hell is wrong with his parents? This is child abuse. And the cafe making a Hamas cake?https://t.co/XZ8Yu81IRi pic.twitter.com/KcrVJpxuQH
— Arsen Ostrovsky 🎗️ (@Ostrov_A) May 23, 2024
While some people praised the bakery and called the boy a “champion,” many criticized the bakery and the family for choosing such an insensitive theme, leading to the removal of the bakery’s Facebook and Instagram profiles.
Robert Gregory, CEO of the Australian Jewish Group opined, “Dressing a child as a terrorist, complete with what appears to be a Hamas headband, is unacceptable and constitutes a form of child abuse.”
Australian politician Chris Minns echoed this sentiment, describing the photos as “horrifying” adding, “Children’s parties should be about innocence and enjoyment, not promoting hate.”
It’s worth noting that, according to the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization. Supporting it is illegal, particularly following a series of anti-Semitic incidents during protests against the conflict in Palestine last year.
