Post of Israeli Olympic flagbearer signing bombs for Gaza reemerges, triggering pro-Palestine backlash

One of Israel’s flagbearers at this year’s Olympic games in Paris had previously signed Israeli military bombs destined for Gaza.

"From me to you with pleasure," wrote medalist Peter Paltchik in a post on X, with the hashtags 'Hamas is ISIS' and 'Israel At War,' in a caption above the image of bomb shells with his signature and an Israeli flag drew on.

The post has reemerged in recent days, prompting backlash from social media users who say they're disgusted by these actions.

"Israel presence is going to make this Olympics to be remembered as the Genocide Games," read several posts shared by numerous accounts on X, including London-based sports journalists Leyla Hamed.

Israel had tried to push for the Hamas and Islamic State group comparison following the start of the war, triggered by Hamas' surprise attack on October 7 in southern Israel which left around 1,190 people dead.

Israeli officials constantly claimed that Hamas' attack on southern Israeli communities saw the beheading of babies and other atrocities but failed to provide any evidence.

The Palestinian group says its incursion was in response to Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories and continued aggression against the Palestinian people. The group did admit faults on October 7, but denied the claims related to babies and other brutal killings.

Since then, Israel’s relentless air and ground offensive – the biggest ever on Gaza – has killed over 39,000 people, mostly women and children.

Much of the bombs Israel has dropped on Gaza are sent by the US, its number one ally, which prompted backlash by some officials in Washington that the Biden administration was aiding human rights abuses in the war.

Israel has denied deliberately targeting civilians and says it aims to destroy Hamas. But the colossal civilian toll has drawn criticism from Israel’s allies and fierce condemnation from Palestinian supporters.

Israel's delegation at the summer games is being tightly protected in Paris amid growing international outrage at Tel Aviv. Ukrainian-born Paltchik, a judo practitioner, is joined at the Paris Olympics alongside Israel’s other flagbearer, Israeli-American swimmer Andi Murez.

The Palestinian team was welcomed jubilantly, with spectators raising Palestinian flags and chanting "Free Palestine." They've slammed the Olympics for allowing the Israel to participate.

Several politicians, celebrities and other officials have been photographed signing bombs destined for Gaza or elsewhere since the war started.

Earlier this year, US politician Nikki Haley, a staunch supporter of Israel, signed bombs believed to be destined to southern Lebanon, where Israel and the Hezbollah militant group have also been engaged in fierce cross-border clashes.